Princess Izzie
by Star of CCTV
Summary: Izzie comes to Seattle to visit her half brother Derek. Alex/Izzie
1. Chapter 1

_I really should not start a new story but this idea has been in my head so here you go. I'll update if you review._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any Greys Characters etc  
_

If Meredith Grey knew who was about to knock on her door she would have done things very differently this evening. She would have made dinner for her fiancé Derek, she would have put on make-up, cleaned the house and she would not have been wearing a tatty old pair of pyjamas. She would have brushed her hair and plucked her eyebrows. Yes these are all the things she would have done if she had known that Izzie Stevens would be knocking on her door.

Meredith was dashing about the house getting ready to leave for her night shift. She just needed to quickly change and then she would be ready for work. At this the doorbell rang.

"Derek, get the door." She shouted from the living room where she was frantically searching for her beautiful new engagement ring. She had just put it down for a second, where the hell had it gone?

She had her hand stuffed down the back of the couch when the doorbell rang again. She screamed at Derek once again in frustration as she dug her slender arm further into the back of the couch. Suddenly she felt a small band come into her grasp. Retracting her arm she looked at her find. Releasing a sigh of relief she clutched the ring which was covered in clumps of fluff and hair. Running to answer the door she wondered why she agreed to marry Derek when he would not even answer the door.

"I'm coming" she shouted out as she undid the latch and opened the door only to be greeted by a blonde tall girl who Meredith swore looked like a model.

"Hi, is this where Derek Shepherd lives?" she enquired politely. She was wearing black high heels and a beautiful pleated loose fitted white dress. Meredith immediately noticed two suitcases at her side. Who the hell was this woman?

Suddenly a shout from behind her interrupted her staring at the girl standing at her door.

"Iz? What the hell are you doing here?" Derek asked as her rushed forward and picked the girl up as he hugged her tightly. Meredith's mind was on shuffle as she tried to remember Derek ever mentioning someone called Iz. As he returned her to the ground Izzie replied.

"I came to visit you. I still have to meet this new girl of yours, but I think I just have."

"This is my fiancé." Derek said stressing the word fiancé with pride. "Mer, this is my sister Izzie."

Suddenly it clicked with Meredith who the stranger was. She had heard so much about Izzie because she was Derek's half sister and the only member of the family that Meredith had still to meet. She realized in horror that Izzie had extended her hand to shake Meredith's who was still grasping her engagement ring in a ball off fluff. Acting quickly Meredith grabbed Izzie and gave her a friendly hug. Derek smiled glad to see Meredith was making an exceptional effort with Izzie, knowing much Meredith hated hugging strangers.

"Well Izzie come in." Derek said unable to keep the excitement out of his voice as he turned to help her with her bags.

"I hope you don't mind me just dropping in unannounced? I tried calling but could not get through."

"Course we don't mind, you'll be staying with us right?" Derek enquired eagerly.

"Nope, I'll get a hotel room, I don't know how long I'll stay and I don't want to get in your way." Izzie replied smiling sweetly at the couple before her.

"You won't be at all." Meredith chipped in "We have a spare room that is free. We won't hear of you going to a hotel. Unfortunately I have to run off to work now but Derek will look after you. Oh and I don't think there's any food, I'm not great on keeping this place stocked up." Meredith said as she cringed, she sounded just like her mother. Looking at the gratitude in Derek's eyes made it totally worth it though. Meredith knew that Derek's biggest regret was that he was not able to be more involved in Izzie's life as she lived in New York. The past year was especially hard on Izzie as her fiancé and one of Derek's best friends Denny had died. Meredith excused herself and ran upstairs to get changed while Derek pulled Izzie's bags into the house.

"Are you sure she won't mind me staying here?" Izzie asked Derek.

"No of course she won't, your family and your staying."

"You told me she minded when Nancy stayed." Izzie argued getting a laugh from Derek.

"Yeah well you are nothing like Nancy, hell I even minded when she was here. You and Meredith will get on great. How do you feel about going out for a drink? We can get Mark to join us?"

"Sure, only if you promise not to throw up on my shoes again?" She laughed nudging him in the ribs.

* * *

Alex and Cristina were arguing over a case when they entered Joe's. Scanning the bar Alex's eyes came to rest on a blonde who was sitting at a table on her own. She was beautiful and nothing like the woman who usually came to Joes. Following Cristina to the bar Alex found it hard to keep her eyes off this girl.

"Two beers please Joe." Cristina ordered as Joe followed Alex's stare.

"Hot isn't she?" he commented to the two doctors. "Wanna know who she's with?"

"Someone we know?" Cristina asked as her eyes took in the girl in the white dress.

"Yep, Shepherd." Joe informed them as he passed them two bottles of beer.

"Who is she?" Cristina asked not jumping to the same conclusion as Joe's.

"Don't know. Oh wait he's coming back. They have been here for about an hour and they are really close."

"Maybe she's a friend?" Alex suggested looking back at the girl, she had brown eyes, and he liked brown eyes.

Three pairs of eyes widened as Derek reached out and stroked the girl's cheek.

* * *

"You have an eyelash on your cheek." Derek said as he reached out to flick it off his sister.

"Oh thanks, you get it?" Izzie asked as Derek started rubbing her cheek.

"No it won't come off. It's stuck in all your make up." He said as he finally flicked off the eyelash.

"Thanks" Izzie responded dryly. Derek suddenly got serious.

"Iz, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you more with Denny."

"Derek it's ok, really. Too much fussing would have made it worst."

"I know but I'm really sorry, I wanted to come and say goodbye to him and be there for you. I didn't even attend the funeral." A sad smile spread across Izzie's lips.

"It happened really suddenly in the end. Like we knew he was dying but I thought we had more time together." She whispered as a tear fell down her face. "Don't feel bad about it Derek, you're a surgeon I understand that our jobs are not as flexible as others. You can't just leave patients. And it wasn't like you did not have your own problems with the divorce and everything."

Derek reached out and grabbed her hand trying to comfort her. They continued to talk about Denny for the next while unaware that the barman and two doctors were glaring at them.

* * *

"He's holding her freaking hand in public." Cristina exclaimed, "What the hell?"

"I can't believe Shepherd is cheating on Mer." Alex said "You think he'd try and hide it. Does Mer have any idea?"

"Don't think so, but she's sure as hell gonna find out. I can't watch them anymore, I'm out of here."

Alex and Cristina finished up there beers and left both sending Derek an angry look but he did not notice. As they exited Mark Sloan entered and searched the bar for his favourite blonde. Spotting his two friends deep in conversation he joined them.

"Hey, I'm here, the party can start now." He said with a grin on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks so much for the reviews. Just a few things I forgot to mention. In this story all the doctors are attendings and they have been head hunted by the chief to work in Seattle Grace. The back ground behind Izzie and Derek will be explained in a few chapters._

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Grey's or any of its characters or ideas. Enjoy and review._

Mark groaned as he attempted to open his eyes. His head felt like there was construction work taking place just behind his eyes. He must have drunk a lot, which usually happened when he went out with Izzie and Derek. Finally opening his eye's he took in his surroundings. He was lying on a bed in a very small room. Where the hell was he? Gingerly he sat up and looked out of the small room to see Izzie standing in a small kitchen wearing his shirt. He soon realized he was in Derek's old trailer, that's why everything felt so small. Finding his trousers on the floor he quickly put them on and shuffled towards Izzie.

"Morning" she sang cheerfully. Again he groaned, stupid Izzie looked amazing, her eyes were shining with no black bags under them. There was no sign that last night she had drank or that she had only gotten two hours sleep.

"I think I am dying." Mark complained as Izzie passed him a mug of freshly made coffee. Looking at it he was unsure if drinking it would make him sick or ease the continuous banging in his head.

"Yeah I have a slight headache too, well worth it though I had a brilliant night." She grinned knowing full well that she was the only member of the three who remembered the whole night even though some bits were fuzzy.

"Where's Derek?"

"Outside to get some fresh air but I actually think he is throwing up into a bush somewhere. So do you want to know how much of a fool you made of yourself or will we just pretend that you were sober last night?" Izzie grinned at him with a wicked look in her eye. This was a game they always played the morning after a crazy night on the town. He would always say he was sober last night and as the day wore on every now and then Izzie would fill him in on the drunken events from the night before. Of course at times it was the other way round and Izzie had been the messy one the night before.

"I don't know what you are talking about Stevens, I was sober last night." He grinned

"Good, well I hope not too many of those people in the store last night come here for the free breakfast you promised them?"

"Crap, What people?" he asked not even remembering being in a store.

"We went to that 24hour store because you wanted" Izzie began only to be cut off by Mark whose memory was coming back.

"Because I wanted you to make your amazing pancakes this morning?"

"Yes, but you had no cash left so you told all the staff that I would make pancakes for them if we got the ingredients for free." Izzie giggled remembering her night of looking after the two boys after they had left Joe's.

"Did it work?" he asked

"Nope, but we found Derek's wallet and paid. So do you still feel like those pancakes?" She asked as she began pulling out the things she needed.

"Yes please. You know I can't resist your pancakes." He smiled, god he was so happy that she had visited. Izzie Stevens with her complicated past was probably his best friend in the whole world. She did not turn her back on him when he slept with Addison. She came close to killing him but after lecturing him for about two hours she hugged him and told him that everything with Derek would be fine after awhile and of course she was right.

They had gone to med school together along with Derek, Addison, Sam, Naomi, Archer and Denny. At first he had decided that she was hot and he would definitely be sleeping with her at some stage, how wrong he was. Izzie came from a different back ground than the rest of them. She grew up in a trailer with her mother who was never around to look after her and a father who had run away from his responsibilities.

So Izzie had made it to medical school on scholarships and modelling jobs. Within their first few weeks Josh Patterson, who was the biggest asshole Mark had ever met, found Izzie's modelling pictures and photocopied them and hung them around the university. On seeing these Mark decided there and then that he was going to sleep with Izzie. Heading straight for her room his plans were derailed when he found her in floods of tears. He spent the night comforting her and telling her everything would be ok. Izzie had told him all about her difficult childhood and he tried to convince her that she should not be ashamed of the modelling pictures, that she was probably one of the only students there who had got to university without their parents money or student loans. Since that day Izzie and Mark had been best friends with the added perk that in her modelling days Izzie introduced him to many of her hot model friends.

Suddenly the door of the trailer flew open and Derek appeared looking more than a little worse for wear. He pulled himself into the trailer and feebly sat down at the table opposite Mark.

"Iz, never let me drink again." He said in a horse voice. "I don't think I can face work today."

"You have to remember the meeting with the Chief at noon." Mark pointed put

"Yeah and I am dying to see the hospital that all my friends fled to. Plus I can't wait to see Richard again." Izzie smiled as she flipped a pancake.

"How come you don't look like crap like me and Mark?" Derek asked frowning at his sister.

"Because I have better genes than you. Oh were you two comfortable on the bed last night?" She asked again her eyes twinkling letting them know that they had done something else embarrassing.

"Where did you sleep?" Mark asked once again left with no memory of how they got to the trailer not to mention bed.

Putting a plate of pancakes on the table Mark hungrily grabbed them while Derek winced Izzie replied, "I slept on the couch thing. You two wanted to sleep together to prove to me that all the Addison stuff is water under the bridge and that you are so comfortable with each other. You decided it would be a good idea to sleep naked but Derek passed out before he got to take off any clothes."

"Izzie please don't tell us anymore." Derek grumbled. "I'm going to take a shower and then we'll take you to Seattle Grace so you can check it out."

* * *

As Alex arrived in Seattle Grace his first port of call was Cristina Yang's office. His day was going to be really busy, he had delivered quintuplets two days ago and they were all seriously ill. Rushing in he found Cristina on the phone, she motioned at him to sit down and he waited for her to finish her call. The second she said her goodbyes to the caller he blurted out,

"Derek did not come home last night."

"What?" she exploded. "You mean he spent the night with that blonde?"

"Well I guess so, I know I would." He added receiving a sharp look from Cristina. "You know what I mean." He mumbled.

"Yeah whatever. I can't believe he's cheating on her, I'm going to kill him." She said standing up and making her way to the door. "After all Meredith has been through with him and now he is cheating. Bastard."

When they reach the hall they saw a wrecked looking Derek make his way to his office. Cristina quickened her pace to catch up with him with Alex trailing behind.

"Dr. Shepherd, I need to talk to you." Cristina said in a sharp tone.

"Not now Yang." He replied as all colour drained from his face.

"Where were you last night?" she demanded

"Ugh, I have no idea, you'd have to ask Mark." He replied and quickly ran for the bathroom as he needed to be sick again.

"What the hell was that?" Cristina asked but Alex understood immediately.

"He's hung-over. Do you think Sloan is his alibi?"

"Looks like it." Cristina huffed until she turned around and saw the Chief hugging the blonde with Mark Sloan standing nearby looking as rough as Derek did. "What the hell is she doing here?"

Alex turned and followed Cristina's gaze. She was talking excitedly to the Chief while her blonde curls bounced as she nodded her head. All three of them were laughing and then the Chief saw Alex and Cristina staring over at them.

"Yang, Karev." He called as he beckoned for them to come over.

"This is Dr. Isobel Stevens, I trust you will make her feel very welcome here at Seattle Grace." He beamed as Izzie shook their hands.

"This is Cristina Yang she is head of Cardio and this man you will want to get to know, this is Alex Karev head of the Neo-Natal department. Dr. Stevens is one of the best Neo-Natal surgeons in the world Alex so I hope you will show her around." Great Alex thought to himself he would now have to show the woman who was ruining one of his best friends relationships around his department.

"Of course." He responded with a fake smile. "Come with me Dr. Stevens."


	3. Chapter 3

_I wrote this a few days ago but I wasn't really happy with it, so I left it hoping I'd be inspired but nothing is happening so I'm just gonna post it anyway. Hope its ok._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Greys or any of its characters.  
_

After leaving the group behind Alex pounded down the hall so fast Izzie had to nearly jog to catch up with him. It was exciting to be back in a hospital that was as busy as Seattle Grace. There was a comforting bustle in the hospital and Izzie now understood why Derek, Mark and Addison liked it here so much. The atmosphere was friendly and it did not smell of disinfectant.

"I hear you have quins?" she asked as they turned a corner.

"Yeah." Alex replied in a short tone.

"How was the delivery?" Izzie asked.

"Fine." Alex mumbled allowing a long silence to follow. Izzie decided to take another approach to make Alex open up more, or at least speak sentences.

"I have heard a lot about you Dr. Karev." At this he just shrugged. Of course she had heard lost about him he was often featured in medical journals and he was a damn good doctor. Of course he had heard about her too. She was a high profiled doctor from New York who was known not only for being a world class Neo-Natal surgeon but she was also the most sought after doctor by celebrities.

"Addison tells me your quiet the doctor." Izzie slyly mentioned as she watched him closely. She saw his face falter for a moment so she continued. "I've just spent two months with her in LA, she said to say hi to you."

"Oh, well yeah we were colleagues before she left. Is she keeping well?" He asked as he finally turned to look at Izzie. Her face told him that she knew well that he had been more than just colleagues.

"She's very well. So the quins, how are they all developing?" Izzie asked now that she had finally gotten through to Alex.

"Well I'll be taking one in to surgery in an hour."

"Well I'd love to assist." Izzie offered delighted by the idea of getting back into an OR.

"No I don't need your help." Alex said with his tone as cold as possible remembering that the woman standing before him who seemed so nice was sleeping with Derek.

"Oh, ok." Izzie said surprised, this doctor was not the same nice man that Addison had described.

Alex saw her face drop obviously stunned by his harsh tone and for a moment he regreated his decision, but it was only a brief moment.

* * *

About an hour later Mark was passing the nurses' station where he found Izzie flicking through a glossy magazine. Smiling he approached her.

"What you doing?" he asked as he leaned over her shoulder to look at what she was reading. It was a picture of Gemma Knight, who was a famous singer, holding her son who was dressed in a hideous outfit.

"Just keeping an eye on my babies. I would not have delivered this little guy if I knew she would dress him up like this. Poor child! How much therapy do you think he'll need when he grows up?" At this Mark laughed.

"Should you not be in surgery with Karev?" he asked remembering noting that Karev had surgery on one of the babies.

"Oh he doesn't need my help. It's fine, I got to visit them and I'm planning on talking to the mother when she wakes up, she seems fairly down." Mark did not miss the flicker of disappointment on Izzie's face. He did not remember much from last night but he knew she had told him that she was excited about operating again.

"Wanna grab a cup of coffee?" he offered

"Sure if you have time?"

"Yeah come on, I'll show you the sights of the canteen." He said as he offered her a hand and pulled her out of her chair. He would find Karev later and find out why he did not allow Izzie go into the OR.

* * *

Richard was having a good day. Everything was running smoothly, there was a good board up, not too busy but more importantly not empty. And to top it all off Dr. Isobel Stevens was in his hospital. Richard always had a soft spot in his heart for the young doctor. He felt somewhat responsible for Izzie's less than ideal upbringing. He had let the young girl down before she was even born and to this day he always regretted how things worked out. But now she was here and he full intended that she would stay here. Not only would he be gaining yet another world class surgeon but he could bring Derek and Izzie even closer and keep an eye on her after the loss of her fiancé.

Richard had take on the father figure role with Izzie in the same way he had with Meredith. He could still remember Izzie's excited voice ringing him to tell him she had gotten engaged and he had almost burst with pride when she asked him if he would walk her down the aisle. Unfortunately he never got the opportunity too.

He was now making his way to the OR where Karev and Izzie would be operating on one of the babies. He scrubbed in and eagerly entered the OR.

"How's it going Doctor Karev?" he asked as his eyes scanned the room looking for Izzie.

"Fine Chief, we're just finishing up here." Alex replied curious to know why the Chief was in his OR.

"Where is Dr. Stevens?"

"Don't know, I told her that her assistance would not be needed on this case."

"You did what?" the Chief boomed. "Did I not tell you to welcome Steven's to this hospital? Show her round?"

"Yes and I did that but this is my surgery and I am going to perform it how I want to with who I want assisting me." Alex bit back.

"You listen to me Karev, Dr. Stevens is to be treated like Royalty here. Rules do not apply to her and she will be involved in all of your surgeries whether you want her there or not. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes Sir." Alex responded.

"Good, now after you finish I want you to find her and apologise and make sure she is happy at all times today." With this Richard turned on his heels and stormed out of the OR, his good start with Izzie had now been ruined by Karev.

* * *

Alex left the OR and found Cristina in the halls.

"That cheating bitch is ruining my career." He moaned as Cristina scoffed.

"What do you expect, she is a devil woman."

"What I don't get is how come every one is so crazy about her. The Chief just shouted at me in my OR because I did not let her in on my surgery." With this Lexie joined them.

"Have you guys met Dr. Stevens, she's amazing isn't she?" Lexie asked with her eyes glowing, "You know I think she saved Baby C's life by placing her in the incubator with Baby E so they could cohabitate. Apparently they gain strength from one another." Lexie gushed.

"She moved my babies?" Alex asked furious that he had not thought of placing the babies in the incubator together.

"Yes, but it was necessary." Lexie responded as she moved away.

"That bitch is swooping in and doing my job." Alex spat angrily.

"Who cares about your stupid job, what about Meredith? You need to tell her that Derek is a lying, cheating bastard." Cristina replied dryly.

"Why me? I don't want to tell her?"

"You have to, your her roommate and your working with Blondie. Plus it might work out well for you because Meredith will kill this new doctor and we can all go back to being a happy family, minus Derek of course." Cristina smiled at Alex as she picked up her charts. "You can do it Alex I know there's a big boy in their somewhere. And after you do, I'll come round with the tequila and we can torch Derek's clothes. Now I am going to cut something."

Alex watched the cardio surgeon walk away. The last thing he wanted to do was tell Meredith that Derek was cheating on her but he'd want Meredith to do it for him. Taking a deep breath he decided to go find Meredith. She was on the night shift last night and it was still early so she might be in an on-call room somewhere.

During his search he came face-to-face with Mark.

"Hey, have you seen Meredith?" he asked hoping the plastic surgeon had not because he still did not know what he would say to Meredith.

"No, why was Izzie not in on your surgery?" Mark demanded. Alex rolled his eyes the last thing he wanted to hear about right now was precious Izzie. However, unlike with the Chief, he did not have to take this from Mark.

"Because I did not want her in my OR." Alex replied harshly.

"Alex, you do know who Izzie is don't you?" Mark asked in a quiet but threatening tone.

"Yes, I do."

"Good, then you will understand why I will be pissed off with you if you don't treat her like a princess and why Derek and the Chief will be pissed off if you don't treat her like a princess?"

"Oh I understand perfectly why Derek would want me to treat her like a princess." Alex said with a snide tone.

"Then do it. If Izzie is not in the OR assisting on all of your operations I will make your life hell."

"Is that a threat Sloan?" Alex questioned wondering why Sloan was going to such lengths to cover Derek's affair.

"No Karev, it's a promise. So you will look after Princess Izzie?"

"Yes Dr. Sloan, I will make sure Princess Izzie enjoys her visit to Seattle Grace."


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks so much for the reviews, there really keeping me going. Took a bit longer to pull this chapter together. Please Review._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's or any of its characters.  
_

Izzie did not realize how much attention she had been receiving from the staff of Seattle Grace. The nurses loved her, the doctors were impressed by her, the patients soon fell into easy conversation with her but Cristina Yang and Alex Karev hated her.

She had soon struck up a friendship with Nurse Olivia whose sister lived near Izzie in New York. Izzie did not know this but by gaining Olivia's approval she had gained the approval of the entire nursing staff. And Izzie liked them all; they were friendly, helpful and told her stories about Derek and his work. Izzie was delighted to hear them praise her brother and she was brimming with pride at all that he had achieved since leaving New York. She also heard about Mark and his achievements (or notches on his bed post) from the nursing staff, strangely enough she was happy to hear that Seattle had not changed Mark, in fact something would be wrong with the world if Mark was not sleeping with nurses. Hearing that the nurses now had a club against Mark gave her perfect ammunition to tease him with later.

Izzie had met a nervous Dr. George O'Malley, Dr. Callie Torres, who allowed her to watch as she realigned a bone on a car crash victim, and Dr. Owen Hunt who kindly showed her around the ER. They were extremely welcoming she guessed as they were on strict orders from the Chief to look after her.

But there was one Doctor that Izzie was dying to meet but had not yet gotten the chance to, and that was Dr. Meredith Grey. She had learned from Olivia that Meredith had left hours ago so Izzie would just have to wait. She did not want Meredith to think she was like any of Derek's other sisters who were quite frankly a pack of bitches.

She wanted to get to know Meredith; she could not help but feel protective of her older brother as he had been through so much with Addison but from what Izzie had heard about Meredith she was confident that they would get on fine. She decided the best way to get to know Meredith would be to talk to her alone, without Derek hanging around. Maybe they could go out and grab some dinner tonight, deciding on this Izzie went to find Derek to see if he could set it up.

* * *

Derek looked up from his desk as he heard Mark barged into the room.

"You ok?" he asked as Mark threw himself into a chair.

"Karev is an ass."

"Sure." Derek responded sounding uninterested. Mark and Alex had never really gotten on well since Mark had come to Seattle Grace, Derek did not know why and he did not care either. He was just grateful that his hangover had turned into a slight headache.

"He did not let Izzie scrub in with him earlier."

"Maybe he feels threatened by her? You know another Neo-Natal surgeon steeling his thunder. Or maybe she would be too much of a distraction for him in the OR, models can have that effect on men."

"Yeah or maybe he's just an ass." Mark huffed. If Izzie knew that he had given out to Alex earlier she would kill him. Izzie liked fighting her own battles; she did not need help probably because she never received help when she was younger.

"Who's an ass?" Izzie asked as she breezed into Derek's office.

"No one" Mark grumbled.

"Mark's just having a rubbish day." Derek explained "So what do you make of the hospital? Do you like it?"

"Yeah it's great. I have still got to see the OR but I'll get someone to show me later." Izzie smiled and then added "How's the hangover?"

She received another grumble from Mark but a smirk from Derek.

"Much better, but I don't think I'll risk eating for a few hours." Derek explained.

"Right, well I was thinking that tonight Meredith and I should go out for dinner, it'll give me a chance to get to know her without you two hanging round."

"What's wrong with us hanging round?" Mark asked forgetting his bad mood.

"Everything, I want to get to know the girl Derek is marrying without an audience. You think she would be up for it?" Izzie directed her question at Derek.

"I'll give her a call in awhile." Derek said as there was a knock on the door and Dr. Bailey entered.

"Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Sloan I hope I'm not interrupting?" Bailey asked politely as she looked at Izzie.

Derek immediately recognised Baileys tone, polite and soft, it only meant one thing and that was that Bailey was up to something.

"No, come in. This is my sister Dr. Isobel Stevens. Izzie this is Dr. Miranda Bailey one of Seattle Graces finest doctors." He beamed as Izzie and Bailey shook hands.

"Nice to meet you Dr. Stevens, welcome to Seattle Grace." Bailey said as she turned her attention back to Mark and Derek passing them two folders. "I'm just dropping by to show you my new proposals for a free clinic, and I don't care what you think on the subject, I know you objected the last time, just read over it and sign, that's all I ask."

"Do you have a copy I could look at too?" Izzie asked as Bailey backed out of the room.

"Sure." She said handing Izzie a copy "I hope you will do all in your power to make them sign."

"I'll try." Izzie replied and with a final nod Bailey was gone.

Mark and Derek both dropped the folders on Derek's desk.

"Are you not going to read them?" Izzie asked surprised.

"Nope." Mark replied making his way out of Derek's office. "I'm not giving up my free time to some clinic and it will never get funding anyway."

Izzie looked at Derek who was nodding in agreement she then looked back at the six pages Bailey had just handed her.

"She must have spent ages preparing this. You should read it. A free clinic sounds like a really good idea." Izzie stressed as she followed both Derek and Mark out of the office knowing that neither of them were listening. Mark mumbled something about feeling tired and left for an on-call room for a nap but Izzie managed to corner Derek not realizing that once again Karev and Yang were watching them.

"You should read it." She repeated again.

"I will, I promise." he said as he looked into her eyes. "Iz, you ok?"

"Yeah, it's just she's trying to do a good thing. People who want to do good things should get the support they need to do good things." Suddenly she realized she was not talking about Bailey, she was talking about herself. She had wanted to help in the OR earlier and she should have gotten the chance. Now she was pissed off, but at least she knew how to fix it.

"I'll read it." Derek said as he gave his sister a tight hug.

* * *

On the far side of the room Alex and Cristina were fuming.

"They're sick." Cristina grunted as they continued to watch. Just then Izzie turned and saw Alex. A bright smile reached her face and she walked towards the two doctors.

"Hi, how did the surgery go?" she said in the nicest voice she could muster. It was clear to Izzie that these two doctors did not like her but she did not care, all that mattered was getting back into the OR and being as nice as pie was the only thing she could think of right now.

"Fine. You moved one of the babies?" he asked accusingly while Cristina smirked beside him.

"Yes, the Chief said I could. And you'll be happy to hear that the baby is doing so much better now." She quickly flashed an even brighter smile at Cristina.

"Well I think I better go and check on them." Alex quickly gathered his things and walking away from Cristina and Izzie. Izzie was getting sick of Alex's attitude as she found herself running once again to catch up with him. Just then she saw Meredith walking along the hall towards them.

"Oh there's Meredith, I just want to have a word with her." Izzie said to Alex but as she began walking towards her brother's fiancé she felt a hand grab her wrist and before she knew it Alex had pulled her into a small room and closed the door behind him.

"Why are we in here?" she asked in a surprised voice.

"The Chief asked me to show you round the hospital."

"This is a linen closet." She exclaimed looking at rows and rows of freshly laundered sheets.

"Yeah, so now you know where to get sheets and pillow cases." He said knowing that he seemed crazy but he needed to keep her from breaking Meredith's heart. Her confused expression made him rush on, "You see at Seattle Grace we all help each other out, it's important to know where the linens are." God he cringed, he sounded ridiculous.

"Ok, um seen as you have shown me the linen closet, what are my chances of seeing the OR?" Izzie asked hoping this strange behaviour in the doctor was some kind of weird sign that Dr. Karev was warming up to her. Maybe she would ring Addison later and find out if he had ever shown her the linen closet.

"Sure." He muttered and a long silence followed.

"So, can we go now?" she asked hoping he'd say yes. There was very little space and they were standing really close together and Izzie was getting the impression that Alex felt just as uncomfortable as she did.

"Yeah, let's just wait another minute." He said hoping Meredith would be gone by then.

"Um, ok." Izzie said while she struggled to think of something to say. Rolling her eyes she realized it was just her luck to get stuck with a doctor who hung out in a linen closet.


	5. Chapter 5

_Enjoy and Review :)_

When Alex and Izzie finally emerged from the linen closet they soon bumped into the Chief who had just bought a coffee to give to Izzie. Alex excused himself while Izzie and the Chief chatted and returned to where he had left Cristina.

"What did the Chief do to make you come to Seattle Grace?" he asked

"Showed me round and got the board to write up a really great offer." She asked looking confused "Bet I got a better offer than you. What did he do to get you to join us?"

"Same, I got the official tour and a good offer. I think he's wooing Dr. Stevens to come here, he bought her coffee." Alex said with a bitter tone in his voice.

"Bitch, he never bought me coffee."

"Yeah well whatever we don't need another Neo-Natal surgeon." He huffed

"Maybe the Chief wants to replace you." Cristina teased but Alex was not in the mood.

"I hate her. Cheating bitch. Oh and she wanted to go and talk to Meredith so we have to keep them apart."

"Well maybe you'd want to go find Dr. Stevens because here comes Meredith now." Cristina said nodding towards Meredith who was approaching.

"Right." He huffed as he went to find Dr. Stevens again.

"Where's he rushing off too?" Meredith asked Cristina

"Dunno, some kind of baby emergency I guess. So how are you? How are things with Derek?" Cristina asked digging to see if Meredith had any idea that Derek was cheating on her.

"Things with Derek are really bad." Meredith sighed, her nervous were in bits ever since Derek called her and told her about Izzie's plans for dinner tonight. "His sister is here visiting and I have to make a really good impression."

"Oh yeah, McBitchy is here?"

"No, not her thank god. You've probably met her; Derek brought her in to work today. She's also a doctor. She's all leggy and gorgeous and I don't think she knows what a split end looks like she has the most perfect blonde hair."

At this Cristina suddenly grew cold with fear.

"Wait, are you saying that Dr. Stevens is Derek's sister?"

"Yeah, she seems really nice and I was just talking to Lexie and she said I'll be fine, we're going out for dinner tonight. I'm just stopping by here but I'm going shopping to get a new dress and get my hair done. I need fake confidence and new clothes should help, right?" Cristina could barely hear Meredith's babbling.

"But they don't look anything like each other; they can't be brother and sister." She exclaimed

"Well they are half brother and sister. Same father, it's actually really weird it's just like me and Lexie, they did not know about each other for years."

"Crap. Look Meredith I gotta go." Cristina said as she dashed off in the direction Alex had left in. As she rushed off Meredith looked on in amazement annoyed that her person had run off without reassuring her that her dinner with Izzie would go well.

As Cristina ran down the hall looking for Alex her pager went off. Making her way to her patient she prayed that Alex would keep his mouth shut for the rest of the day.

* * *

Izzie was now getting a proper tour of the hospital from Alex. He had shown her most of the hospital at this stage but was still not talking to her. She had tried to initiate conversation several times but only received yes or no answers so she had soon given up. As they made their way back up to the room the quintuplets were being kept in she decided to quiz him for information about Meredith.

"Do you know Meredith Grey?"

"Yes." He replied as his blood began to boil. He could not believe she had the nerve to ask about the woman she was stabbing in the back.

"What's she like?"

"Meredith is a really good friend of mine, she is intelligent; compassionate; hard-working and just great." He could hear his voice rising as they reach the baby's room and stepped inside. Turning to face her he pointed his figure at her. "I don't know what you are doing but it's sick. Coming here and interfering in her and Derek's relationship. They are happy and I don't know what Derek said to you but you should leave them alone. You need to break up with Derek and leave Seattle." He paused to take a deep breath he was just about to continue when Derek walked in; he had clearly not heard a word of Alex's rant.

"Ah here you are Iz. Alex I believe you've been looking after my sister today." Derek said with a grin. Alex suddenly felt like he had been punched in the stomach.

"Yeah, he has shown me all around, I don't think I'll get lost now." Izzie said smiling at her brother as she watched Alex grow pale.

"Great, I'll be leaving in about fifteen minutes, think you'll be ready then?" Derek asked.

"Sure, I'll meet you in the lobby."

"Great." Derek said as he made his way to the door "See you later Karev."

Alex grunted goodbye as he waited for Izzie to talk. He had never been so embarrassed. He had just shouted at one of the most respected doctors in his field accusing her of having an affair with her brother.

"So" Izzie began with a small smile on her lips, "You thought me and Derek were, you know?"

"Yeah, look I'm sorry, I just totally took everything up wrong." He started his gut twisting in embarrassment. What happened next shocked him. He expected her to shout back at him but all he heard was laughter. She continued to laugh for awhile wiping tears out of her eye.

"Sorry, it's just kinda funny." She explained. Looking at him she felt her heart melt a little. He looked mortified and vulnerable. "It's ok though. It's not like we look alike or anything."

He just nodded. God he wished he could just go back in time. Suddenly all those times he had seen Izzie and Derek together he realized all he had seen was hugging and Derek squeezing her hand. Who accuses someone of having an affair based on hugs? Everything was starting to fall into place, Mark had even asked him if he knew who Izzie was, by that he must have meant that she was a Shepherd.

"I did not realize. Your surnames are different." He said softly

"Yeah, we've the same father but I kept my mother's name. He's my half brother." She explained

Suddenly silence filled the room. Alex was dying for this moment to end but Izzie seemed to be enjoying his discomfort.

"Look, I think we got off to a bad start, how about we start over?" she said with a smile she held out her hand. "I'm Izzie I grew up here in Seattle, moved to New York when I was 18, I like red wine and Italian food and I don't sleep with men who are in relationships."

Shaking her hand he smiled back at her.

"I'm Alex, I'm from Iowa but have lived in Seattle for years. I like basketball and surgery's and I have been known to read situations wrong in the past and accuse innocent people of incest but I hope to work on that."

Smiling brightly she said.

"Well I better go; my brother is waiting for me. Lovely to meet you Alex."


	6. Chapter 6

_Dont think I'll get to update much, college is crazy busy._

_Thanks so much for all the reviews :) _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's or any of it's characters.  
_

Alex groaned as the alarm clock rang out again. He could not risk hitting the snooze button again for another ten minutes or he would be really late for work. He loved his job and usually had no problem getting out of bed but today he knew he would have to face Izzie Stevens again. Cringing once again at accusing her of having an affair with her brother, Alex pushed himself out of bed. He usually would not care what his co-workers thought of him, in fact he was fairly sure that they all just saw him as the jock that sleeps with nearly as many nurses as Mark Sloan, but with Izzie it was different. He would be lying if he said he did not know her work. She was a well respected hard working doctor who he would actually like to impress only now she probably already thought he was a joke.

Deciding that he would think about Izzie Stevens when he would come face to face with her, he shuffled down the hall to the bathroom. The door was locked so yawning he leaned against the doorframe while he waited for whoever it was to finish. He hoped it was Meredith because Derek spent forever in the bathroom perfecting his already perfect hair. He had came to Seattle Grace two years ago and on his first day bumped into Meredith when she was putting a leaflet on the notice board advertising that she had rooms to let. He had moved into the house along with George O'Malley and settled in comfortably. After George ran off to Vegas and married Callie Tores he moved out and left just Alex and Meredith and of course her on and off boyfriend Derek. It was never uncomfortable living with the couple even though Alex had considered moving he never did. He liked Derek and they often hung out. Recently Derek moved in and the couple got engaged, Alex did not know what Meredith's plans were for the house but he would find a new place when ever Meredith kicked him out.

Banging on the door impatiently Alex shouted

"Come on, some of us have work you know?" It had to be Derek in the bathroom, he was taking forever. Unfortunately Alex could not have been more wrong as the door flew open and he found Izzie Stevens standing on the other side with a white towel wrapped around her and a bright smile on her face.

Alex could feel that his jaw had hit the floor in shock.

"Morning." She chirped "Sorry, I didn't realize you were waiting to get in here." As confusion clouded Alex's face Izzie glided by,

"Oh just so we're clear I slept in the guest room." She grinned and winked at him as his face went red in embarrassment. Not knowing what to say he ran into the bathroom locking the door behind him. Crap he did not even think she would be staying in the house which in hind sight was ridiculous she was Derek's sister for god's sake. Stripping out of his wife beater and his boxers he stepped into what would have to be a cold shower.

* * *

Meredith searched the kitchen for Advil. Her head was pounding but she was in a good mood. Her dinner last night with Izzie was a huge success. If only the rest of Derek's family were like Izzie. They had laughed all night and drank all night, hence the headache. Neither of them focused on the bad stuff from their past Meredith never mentioned her mother's Alzheimer's and Izzie did not talk about her fiancés sudden death. Instead they swapped stories about crazy patients, successful surgeries and Derek.

"You came in late last night." Derek said as he entered the kitchen.

"Yeah, it was a good night. Where's the Advil?" Meredith moaned.

"Signs of a good night out with Izzie." He commented as he past Meredith the painkillers he had just found and waited anxiously to hear what Meredith thought of Izzie.

"Thanks. Last night went so well, you know I actually think a member of your family might like me." Meredith said smiling as she kissed Derek on the cheek and went about making coffee.

"That's great, I knew you two would get on. I am really glad she came to visit after Denny and everything." Derek was just about to continue when Izzie joined them in the kitchen.

"Derek, don't talk about me behind my back, its rude." She said smiling and taking the mug of coffee Meredith held out for her. Changing the subject Izzie said "I did not know Dr. Karev lived here? I think I scared him when I was coming out of the bathroom." Izzie smiled again as she remembered seeing Alex standing in the hall in his tight wife beater, it was a nice image she had to admit.

"Yeah, Alex has lived here for ages now. I used have another room mate in your room but he moved out." Meredith explained as Izzie set about making them breakfast.

"You like pancakes Mer?" she quizzed while Meredith nodded.

"Sit down Meredith, Izzie makes the best pancakes ever." Derek said happy that today he would actually be able to eat some of Izzie's cooking. Suddenly the front door flew open and Cristina ran into the kitchen.

"Where's Alex? I need to talk to him?" Cristina said breathing heavily after her run. She had only now gotten out of work after back to back surgeries.

"In his room. I think." Meredith suggested stunned as she watched Cristina dart out of the room and up the stairs.

"What's going on there?" Derek asked.

"Alex, where are you?" Cristina called as she reached the top of the stairs.

"In my room." He called.

"Izzie is Derek's sister." Cristina explained fairly sure he knew by now as Izzie was in his house making them breakfast.

"Yeah, I know." He hissed, mad at Cristina for planting the idea that Izzie was Derek's lover in the first place. "Found that out when I shouted at her and practically called her a whore."

Cristina's face dropped have shocked but half enjoying the drama.

"You shouted at her? I didn't think you had it in you Karev."

"Shut up Yang, it's all your fault. She is one of the best in my field and I accused her of incest." He whispered angrily.

"It's not my fault. You thought it was happening too. Anyway you hate her; she's stealing your job." She said as she collapsed on to his bed.

"Whatever, get off my bed."

"Oh Alex no I'm so tired can I just crash here, I've been in work for ages." Cristina said pouting.

"Don't pout, its creepy."

"Whatever evil spawn." Cristina said as she wriggled on the bed to get more comfortable. "So what happened when you shouted at the Barbie?"

" you mean? She was actually cool about it, she just laughed." He said, he did not know why but ever since she had reintroduced herself he could not get her smile out of his head.

"Boring, I bet she's lulling you into a false sense of security and then bam she'll take your job and your career." Cristina said her eyes lighting up. "You can't let that bitch take control of the Gynie squad."

"I don't think she's after my job." Alex said as he headed to the door. "I gotta go to work, get out of my room."

"No, I'm sleeping here, even though it smells funny. I'm sleeping here or I'll tell everyone you accused innocent sweet Dr. Stevens of screwing her bother." Cristina threatened.

"Fine, but you better be gone when I get home." He huffed as he closed his door. Taking a deep breath he approached the top of the stairs as Izzie and Meredith's laugher rang out. Now all he had to do was get through the day working with Izzie, how hard could that be?


	7. Chapter 7

Alex rested his elbows on the bar at Joe's as he rubbed his eyes. His day had sucked. Right now he was waiting for Cristina and he knew exactly what her reaction to his bit of news would be. He did not want to be in Joe's which was completely out of character for him. He wanted to be at home in bed where he could forget that he had lost one of the quins, where he could forget about the families reaction when he broke the news and where he could forget about Izzie Stevens. Of course he could not forget about her seen as he practically lived with her. It also did not help that she had tailed him all day. His morning began with the bombshell that the Chief had dropped which was the reason he was now waiting for Cristina who suddenly bounded in the door and climbed onto the stool beside him.

"Hey Joe, a beer please." She ordered sharply before turning to Alex looking for an explanation as to why he had dragged her out tonight.

"The Chief made an announcement earlier. Dr. Steven's will be working in Seattle Grace for three months, we're sharing the department." Alex explained as Cristina's face dropped.

"No way! That bitch. Told ya so." She smirked at him.

"I don't think she'll stick around after though, she has her work in New York." Alex said. He knew he was not really worried about Izzie Steven's taking his job or his department he just knew that talking to Cristina about it would settle him down. He actually liked the idea of working with her, maybe he would learn from her, or he would teach her a thing or two.

"Why would she go back to New York when Derek is here?" Cristina asked as she passed Joe money and took a swig of her beer. Suddenly it hit Alex that he knew nothing about Izzie Stevens other that her reputation as an excellent doctor. He did not know why she had chosen now to visit her brother or even how it was possible for Derek to be her brother when he grew up in New York and Izzie had grown up in Seattle.

"Well I'm sure she has a life there." He finally replied.

"Ha, you don't sound so sure. So how was working with little miss perfect? She make your life hell for the mistake you made."

"No, she hasn't even told Derek or Mark that WE thought she was a cheating whore. She didn't say much." The last thing he told Cristina was kind of a lie. Izzie had been teasing him all day throwing in comments about her and Derek. Alex hated it but at the same time he loved the sparkle in her eyes when she had come across something smart to say. Well love might be too strong a word; he had just grown fond of her eyes. Half way through his day he had come to terms with the fact that he liked Izzie Stevens. Well what's not to like, she's gorgeous, smart, funny and has a passion for medicine and while he usually was into brunettes Alex realized he could easily have a thing for blondes. Soon there was a bustle at the bar as Alex realized that Mark, Derek, Meredith, Owen, George, Callie and Izzie had arrived. Cristina slid off the bar stood and made her way over to Meredith and Owen while Mark's voice boomed at Joe.

"Joe we need champagne here."

"Coming right up. What ya celebrating?" Joe asked not used to serving champagne in his bar.

"Our Izzie here is sticking round for a few months." Derek said smiling at Joe. When Izzie saw a frown crease on Joe's forehead she quickly introduced herself.

"I'm Izzie, Derek's sister." She said extending her hand to the barman as she winked at Alex.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Alex was finishing up his beer and talking to Derek when Izzie slid into the seat beside him.

"Derek, do you mind if I have a word with my co-worker?" Izzie enquired. She had been waiting all day to get a chance to have a proper talk with Alex.

"Sure. I'm gonna go chat to Mer." He said leaving Izzie and Alex alone.

"Look I'm sorry if the Chief blind sighted you with this job offer thing. I went to him yesterday because I was frustrated about not getting any time in the OR." Izzie explained. She had been feeling bad all day. It had become blatantly clear that Alex was a proud man and his department was his work, Izzie did not want to swoop in and take that away.

" I would have been pretty stupid not to expect that the Chief would offer you a position." Alex explained "And I'm sorry about not giving you time in the OR but that was all tied into yesterdays mistake which we won't mention again." He added with a smirk.

"Of course." Izzie grinned but her eyes once again twinkled indicating that this would not be the last Alex heard about it. "And I just want you to know that I'm your side kick in work, all major decisions go through you. I'm just the Robin to your Batman." She said with a final smile.

"Ha good to know." Alex smiled back "I'm going to head home now." He began.

"Oh do you mind if I get a ride home with you?"

"Do you not want to stay out and celebrate?" Alex asked suddenly feeling nervous about being alone in Meredith's house with Izzie.

"No, I'm fairly tired. I have not been to bed before three in the morning this week and as a surgeon I think that's pretty reckless. Just let me grab my coat and we can leave." She said as she jumped off the chair and made her way over to the table where Meredith, Derek, George and Callie were. Alex could not help but watch as she walked away. She was wearing a white t shirt with a camel coloured tight skirt which attracted attention to her ass.

"Eyes off Karev." Mark warned as he also joined Alex at the bar. "Izzie's not in your league."

"I'm not looking Sloan, I know better." Alex replied as casually as possible.

"Good because the last thing Izzie needs is a guy messing her round." Mark said.

"I don't think you give her enough credit. She doesn't need you or Derek warning people to treat her like a Princess she gets that respect on her own terms." Alex pointed out.

Mark smiled, clearly Alex had been taken in by Izzie the same way he had. Izzie had very few enemies and many friends. And it was clear Izzie was planning on making Alex a friend. She called it networking and insisted that knowing other doctors would be helpful for her career but deep down Izzie never became friends with someone just to use their contacts, unlike Mark. Izzie was always interested in people, learning about them. She hated being alone which was why Mark had encouraged her to leave New York behind and visit her friends following Denny's death. He hated the idea of her being in New York so far away from him.

"So you're ok with her joining your department?" Mark asked carefully. Alex was the kind of guy who would hate having someone new trying to change his system.

Shrugging Alex answered, "I guess I knew the Chief would offer. It wasn't a surprise."

"What happened? Yesterday you were banning her from your OR and today your giving her the reigns of your department?" Mark asked suspiciously.

"I'm not giving the reigns to her. We had a slight misunderstanding yesterday it's all sorted." Alex replied wishing Mark would stop interrogating him.

"I know you think she doesn't need all the Princess Izzie crap but her fiancé died recently and Derek and I intend to make sure that her time in Seattle Grace will help her. That woman is half the woman we know so you will be helping to fix her. Just make sure she's happy in Neo-natal." Mark ordered.

Alex could see that Mark was serious, his eye's shone with intensity and his voice was harder that Alex had ever heard. He was just about to reply when Izzie appeared with her coat.

"You ready?" Izzie asked Alex as she smiled at the two doctors.

"Sure." Alex replied "I'm just giving Dr. Steven's a lift home." Alex explained quickly to Mark.

"Yeah I'm really tired." Izzie explained as she kissed Mark on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said as she walked towards the door.

"I'll make sure she is happy in Seattle Grace." Alex said to Mark before turning and following Izzie to the door.

As they walked across the car park Izzie spoke up.

"I'd bet my life that you just got the Princess Izzie talk."

"How did you know?" Alex asked.

"Oh please, Mark is a great surgeon but his skills at being subtle just blow." She added with a smile. "Every guy I've ever gone out with has gotten the Princess Izzie talk from both Mark and Derek, its complete bull just ignore him. I can look after myself and I don't like being babied so please don't treat me any differently to any other doctor you've ever worked with just because Derek is my brother, or because my boyfriend died or because Mark is watching."

"If you thought I was going to go easy on you Dr. Steven's you are wrong." Alex said as he opened the car door receiving an even brighter smile from Izzie.

_The next chapter will explain Izzie and Derek's back ground. It'll be up sooner with reviews :)_


	8. Chapter 8

_Wow I've managed to update 2 of my stories on one day! So I did not manage to fit all of Izzie's background so there will be a follow up chapter soon. Thank you SO much of the Reviews I hope this chapter lives up to expectations. And if you like it/ hate it or have any ideas please review. _

The second Izzie stepped into Meredith's hall she kicked off her Fendi heel and hopped on one foot as she pulled off the other. Alex just smirked as he closed the door behind them.

"Oh thank god." Izzie squealed as she wiggled her toes which were loving their new found freedom.

"If they hurt why do you wear them?" Alex asked thinking how he'll never understand woman and their high heels.

"They don't hurt." Izzie replied as she straightened up and looked Alex directly in the eyes, "Just it's been a long day. And I wear them so I'll have a height advantage. People think your important if your tall." She stated as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"So the degree in medicine, the title and the letters after your name were not enough to make you feel important?" he asked suspiciously noticing that even without her heels on she was kind of tall.

"No the shoes play an important role as well." She joked as she made her way into the kitchen. "You want some hot chocolate? I love it before bed it makes me fall straight asleep, it's like a sleeping table for me"

"Sure." He replied not wanting to stop talking to her now. The ride back to Meredith's house had been fun. They didn't really talk about anything in particular but Alex felt like he could talk to Izzie for hours. It was as if there was a connection between them only Alex did not believe in all that crap. "I'm just gonna run to the bathroom." He said excusing himself.

When he returned a few minutes later there was no sign of Izzie. He noticed she had pulled out the makings of their hot chocolate but had not begun to make anything. Alex set to work making their drinks and pulling out two large mugs. When Izzie returned she was wearing pink pyjama bottoms and a tight white vest top. Her hair was loosely tied up. Alex could not help but curse her; she looked good in everything, even horrible scrubs and old pyjamas. The only time Alex thought Izzie did not look amazing was when she surgical mask covered her face. Throwing some mini marshmallow into the drinks he passed a mug to Izzie.

"Oh I was going to make that Alex, you should have left it." She stressed.

"It's no problem." He replied as he pulled out cookies and led the way into the living room.

"But my hot chocolate is amazing." She complained blowing on the hot liquid as she took a seat beside Alex on the couch.

"Mine is better than amazing."

"I doubt it's better than mine." She commented rolling her eyes as he took a drink. She loved how relaxed she felt around him and how much he relaxed around her. She assumed he was the kind of bachelor guy who would burn pasta and always act like a hard guy. But tonight her first impressions were totally wrong. He could even make really great hot chocolate with tons of pink marshmallows although she would never admit to it his drink was coming in close second to hers. He was the kind of guy who would have lots of girls throwing themselves at him. There was no doubt about it; Alex was a good looking guy. Actually he was totally her type before Denny. Denny had broken the mould. No one believed they would last even Izzie, they were opposites but somehow they managed to complement each other well. Suddenly feeling a wave of self pity wash over her Izzie pushed her thoughts out of her mind and turned to Alex.

"So you're from Iowa? How did you end up here?" she quizzed.

"Yeah, home is in Iowa. I was in Mercy West across town for my internship and following that the Chief poached me and I have not left Seattle Grace since, it's a much better hospital."

"Do you miss Iowa?"

"Yeah I guess." Alex shrugged, he rarely thought about home, Seattle was his home now and as sad as it sounded his co-workers were his family. "What about you? Do you miss New York?"

Izzie paused for a moment and twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

"Honestly no I don't. I thought I would and I guess I miss some of my colleagues but all of my really close friends left before I did. It's all Derek's fault running out here, followed by Addison and then Mark. And Sam and Naomi had left about five years before that. Their the couple that run Oceanside where Addison works now." Izzie said purposefully leaving out any mention of Denny. "I've always loved New York but I think the appeal has worn off. I first met Derek there you know."

"You two did not grow up together?" Alex asked as he sipped some more of his hot chocolate. The mood of the conversation had totally changed; this was nothing like the flirty banter that they had been partaking in earlier.

"No, turns out our dad was a bit of a bastard." Izzie said with a tiny smile on her face. "I never knew him. All my life my mother told me that my Dad was just a guy passing through the town that she had a one night stand with and never got his name. So that was that, I grew up not thinking much about not having a father and then one day I arrive back to the trailer my mom and I lived in and there was Dr. Jonathan Sheppard sitting at our excuse for a kitchen table." Izzie explained unable to keep the bitter tone out of her voice.

"I knew who he was. I was trying so hard to get a scholarship and get into a good school so I could go on and study medicine so I had read lots of his journals and applied for a scholarship which the Sheppard family ran. At first I was so excited; I thought I'd gotten the scholarship until my mother appeared. Turns out he had known about me all those years. He was not just some passerby he was often in Seattle at conferences or visiting his best friend Richard Webber. My mom had told him she was pregnant with me and he ran. His wife had just given birth to Derek the youngest of their five children and he did not want to lose that so he ran. He tried to send my mom money a few years later but she refused it, probably just as well because I would never have seen a cent of it. And then when I was seventeen he decided to pay me a visit."

Izzie looked up from where her finger was circling the rim of her mug. She could see Alex watching her intently. Suddenly she felt guilty.

"I sound really angry don't I? Well I'm not, he came looking to fix things and spent a week with me, getting to know me, obviously I was reluctant at first but then I just let him in. And it was one of the best weeks of my life. At the end of it he promised to come back and visit. He was going home to tell his wife and family about me. He promised me that he would get me in to college on that scholarship and I would never have to worry about money again. I don't think I mentioned Derek's family have two massive apartments in Manhattan, a house in the Hamptons and a villa in St Tropez." Taking a deep breath she continued slowly as she was getting to the hard part of the story.

"On his way home from Seattle he had a heart attack. The flight was did an emergency landing but he was dead before the wheels hit the runway."

"God Izzie I'm sorry." Alex said solemnly as Izzie shrugged.

"Don't be it's not like I knew him Alex. I didn't even go to the funeral. I would not have known about it only we saw it in the paper. But it turns out he was trying to change his will to include me so his nasty secret was uncovered by his wife who came by the trailer park to confront my mess of a mother. She made it clear she would not allow me to get a cent of their fortune and because he messed up signatures or some legal reason I could not fight it." Taking a large gulp of her hot chocolate Alex realised that Izzie was finished her story.

"My father was a piece of work too" Alex said noticing Izzie looking at him surprised so he continued "He was a musician and not a nice guy at all. Drugs, drink, violence my house had it all in spades. Everything a kid should not have to see me and my sister saw daily. I could deal with the drugs, in fact they knocked him out a lot of the time but he used to hit my mother. Her body would be covered in bruises and she had so many broken bones so I trained and trained and kicked him out. My sister told him if he came back she would kill him and she managed to get a gun. He never came back and all of a sudden it became clear that Dad was Moms drug. She could not cope without him."

For a few moments both Izzie and Alex sat in silence until Izzie commented with a slight twinkle in her eyes.

"With the past we have I'm surprised we don't have something stronger in these mugs."


	9. Chapter 9

_Sorry I have not updated recently just really really busy! So anyways here's an update, its more Alex and Izzie getting to know each other so let me know what you think? _

_Disclaimer: I dont own anything!  
_

Izzie looked around Meredith's living room as she waited for Alex to return from the kitchen. Curled up on the couch she could not help but notice just how homely the living room felt. It was nothing like the trailer she grew up in but despite the homely feel to the house Izzie knew that Meredith's childhood had been far from ideal.

She grinned when she noticed one photo of Meredith and Derek with their friends. Derek was the only one looking at the camera which was typical of him always flashing his smile at any opportunity. Meredith was looking at Derek and laughing. Immediately Izzie knew that the photo and been strategically placed in the living room by Derek. Meredith was the kind of girl who would not pose for or frame photos.

Meredith was not the girl that Izzie was expecting to find when she arrived in Seattle. Honestly she was expecting to find that his new fiancée would be a little like Addison. She had been prepared to have to really make an effort to like the girl who had replaced her friend. But she was presently surprised, Meredith was just perfect for Derek and she had welcomed Izzie into her home as if she was her oldest friend. She was satisfied that Meredith and Derek would be together forever and she was so happy that she had become friends with her future sister in-law.

Izzie squinted as she observed the other people in the photo. To Meredith's right was Cristina and George while on Derek's left was Alex with his arm around a really pretty girls shoulders. Izzie felt her heart sink but quickly mentally corrected herself. Alex was just a co worker and she should never have just assumed that he would be single. What she was feeling was confusing. It had been years since she had looked at another man other than Denny and now that he was gone she felt lost.

Lost was the only way to describe how she had been feeling since Denny's death. First she threw herself into her work and avoided having to go home to the home she used to share with him. And time did nothing to heal this feeling so after months and months of constant work Izzie decided to put an end to it. Loosing Denny had taught her the importance of living and she had not been living she had simply been existing.

So she took off to the west coast to stay with Addison for a few months. Addison had convinced her to begin dating again which Izzie did but only to keep Addison happy. While at Oceanside Izzie became friends with Pete who had lost his wife too. He became a great support system for Izzie who regularly emailed him. He had told her that when she would be ready to move on she would just know. At the time she dismissed his advice but now she was wondering if the feels she had been having lately were an indication that she was ready to move on.

Izzie jumped when Alex returned with some more cookies. As he joined her on the couch she knew her curious side would get the better of her. Pointing at the picture she asked,

"Is that your girlfriend?"

Following Izzie's eye line he saw the picture of him and Ava.

"Ex-girlfriend." He said hoping Izzie did not want to talk about former relationships he quickly changed the subject. "So how did you meet Derek then?"

"He wrote to me when it all came out that I was the secret child. The rest of the family were happy to pretend that I didn't exist but Derek made the effort to contact me. I still don't get on very well with his sisters. I get invited to weddings and stuff but I think that's only because Derek makes them." Izzie said as she reached for a cookie.

"We wrote often and I guess we became friends. Then he encouraged me to go to med school in Boston where he was going. At this stage I was earning enough money modelling to put myself though college." She said noticing his eyebrow raise.

"Really? You were a model?" he asked unable to stop the surprised tone in his voice.

"Yes, you sound surprised."

"Well I mean you totally look like a model. I wasn't saying you don't have what it takes to be a model your really attractive and um" He stuttered as he felt his face burn, "It's just I don't expect models to become doctors."

"Yeah I guess." she smirked. "Anyway before we started med school we thought it was time that we finally met each other so I went out to New York and spent the summer there. We just got on really well. And then in September we moved up to Boston and I became friends with Addison and Mark and the rest is history."

"Wow, your life sure has been interesting." Alex said as Izzie shrugged.

"So tell me all about Meredith. You two seem really close." Izzie asked eagerly.

"You're trying to get me to spill bad things about your future sister in-law." Alex said in mock hurt.

"Yes of course I am, I have to it's my duty as Derek's sister. Would flattery work?"

"No it would not." Alex replied "And I am hurt that you would think that I would gossip about Meredith."

"Well you listened to gossip about me and Derek." Izzie pointed out grinning from ear to ear. "And I think you are a really great doctor and I value your opinion and also you have really nice eyes."

"The flattery will get you nowhere, but if you promise to drop my mistake forever I will be tempted to drop some information." Alex said winking.

"Really? Deal."

"Well she's loud in bed, really really loud. It sounds like Derek is" he begun until Izzie screamed

"Ugh Alex no I don't want to know that."

"What you asked?" he said innocently.

"Yeah I want to know funny embarrassing stories or drunken stories not the sex stuff." She exclaimed.

"Oh well you never said that." he said as he noticed a car pull into the driveway. "They must be home now so it looks like you've missed your chance to get gossip."

"Wow so much for my early night, we've been up talking for over two hours." Izzie exclaimed as they heard the front door crash open and things being knocked over.

"What the hell are they doing out there." Alex exclaimed as both he and Izzie's eyes focused on the door into the hall. Suddenly they heard Meredith exclaim breathlessly.

"I've been dying to get you home all night. You are going to get the best sex ever tonight."

"Oh really because I've been dying to get your home tonight especially to do this." Derek said and moments later Izzie and Alex heard Meredith moan loudly. Alex could not help but laugh as Izzie sunk down further in the couch with her hands clamped to her ears. Her face was scrunched up in disgust as more moans were heard as the newly engaged couple fumbled their way towards the stairs.

"Oh my God." Izzie exclaimed as Alex stood up stretching, "you were right about how loud they are."

"Yeah good luck sleeping tonight." He smirked as he heard Meredith and Derek's bed starting to squeak. "your bedroom is right beside theirs."

"Are you going to bed now?"

"Well yeah, it's late." He responded simply.

"You can't leave me to listen to that. I need distracting; you need to keep talking to me." She said as the moans from upstairs became louder.

"Just put a pillow over your head." Alex suggested as he yawned.

"Ok, night." Izzie said sounding dejected and then winced as another loud moan ripped through the house.

"Fine. I'll stay." He said throwing himself back down on the couch beside her as she pulled a blanket over the two of them. "So tell me about being a model?"


	10. Chapter 10

_First Thank You SO much for the reviews I love getting them so here's another chapter. _

Izzie was really tired. As she made her way along the halls she tried her best to stifle a yawn but it was no good. She needed coffee and she needed it badly because she had just found one of the coolest cases she had ever come across and her patient would be arriving in three hours. Maybe she would have time to grab a nap she thought as she joined Mark at the coffee cart. Making her presence know by leaning her head on his shoulder she complained.

"Make me go to bed early tonight. I am so tired."

Mark just chuckled as he ordered her a double espresso which she used to always drink during their late night study sessions during their college days.

"Why are you so tired? You left the party early last night?" he asked.

"Yeah I know but then I was up talking to Alex for ages and then Derek and Meredith came home and I heard noises a sister should never have to hear. Do you know how loud the two of them are?" she asked still traumatised from the previous night. Alex had tried holding two cushions over her ears but that still did not drown out the noise but it only ended up in the two off them laughing when the noises got even louder.

"I've heard rumours around alright." Mark said as he took his coffee and walked with Izzie towards the nurses' station. He wasn't too happy about the thoughts of Izzie and Alex becoming friends because he knew Alex had a reputation which was only out done by his own man whoring ways. "If it's that bad you should come and stay in the Archfield with me?"

"Thanks but I really like staying at Meredith's. She's great isn't she? Derek did well. And anyway I'll be fine once I get a good nights sleep maybe their one of those couples that only has sex like once a month." Izzie said hopefully as Mark gave her a funny look.

"I wouldn't count on it Izzie, from what I hear they are the hospitals most sexed up couple." Mark said smiling as Izzie groaned and leaned on the nurses' station for support. Smiling at one of the nurses she asked for the phone so she could ring the hospital and find out if her new special patient had left yet. As the dial tone rang in her ear she studied Mark as Lexie Grey approached and reached out for a chart almost knocking over his coffee which Mark grabbed quickly.

"Oh my god, Dr. Sloan I'm so sorry." Lexie gushed as her face turned bright red.

"Little Grey what have I told you about my personal space." He barked causing Izzie to frown.

"I know, I know, I'm so sorry. I could get you another coffee?" she asked taking a step back.

"Why would you do that this didn't spill? Just go check on my patient in 4220." He ordered sending Lexie Grey running in the other direction with Izzie staring at him with an angry look on her face. When she finished her call she poked him in the shoulder.

"What the hell was that about? You scared the crap out of that poor girl."

"She's just an intern." He replied in a toneless voice.

"Well you should be nicer to interns. And since when have you have a problem with women being in your personal space?" she asked but as soon as she verbalized her thoughts she realized what was going on. "Oh my god, you like her! You're into Lexie Grey."

"Izzie shut up." Mark said looking around to see if any nurses heard "God you might as well have published it on the front page of the New York Times the way you shouted that." He hissed at her.

"Sorry. So have you asked her out?"Izzie asked unable to keep the giddy tone out of her voice.

"No and I won't be." He announced, having Izzie knowing was going to be hell. Yes she was his best friend but she would not understand why Derek had told Mark to stay away and therefore she would be nagging at him about asking Lexie out for the rest of his life.

"Why the hell not? She's lovely." Izzie demanded.

"Because Derek said I can't because Meredith doesn't want me to so I am listening to Derek for once. Now I have surgery so that's the end of it Isobel"

Izzie frowned as Mark walked off. He only called her Isobel when he was being serious. Seeing Bailey at the other side of the nurses' station she slid over beside the small doctor and sighed.

"Is this one of those hospitals that has lots of drama between the doctors?"

"If by that you mean this is the kind of hospital where all the doctors bump uglies then yes it is." Bailey said honestly. "We're all sex crazy nasty doctors here, Dr. Steven's. So you have two choices you can join in with all the fun or you can sit back like me and just watch them all. The plus side of my option is that when their all spreading diseases, like the syphilis outbreak a few years back, you can just sit back and laugh."

"Your way sounds more sensible." Izzie said nodding wondering how many inter work relationships there were and how many of them involved Alex.

"Yes it does but the thing about sex is that often sensible is forgotten about." Bailey said knowingly as she picked up her things and began to walk away.

"Bailey." Izzie called; before she let the doctor leave there was one more thing she wanted to talk to her about.

"Yes, Dr. Stevens?"

"Can I have a word with you about your clinic?"

* * *

Alex spotted Cristina at the nurses' station and joined her placing a small bag on the counter and grabbing his charts.

"Hey." She said acknowledging his presence as she signed off on a chart. "Why are you yawning? You left Joe's really early last night."

"Yeah but then I stayed up talking to Izzie." He replied.

"Oh good plan, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If it was me I'd just tell her she aint getting her New York hands on my department but I like your plan."

"She's actually from around here originally." He responded rolling his eyes.

"God your good, you even know all about her background." Cristina said impressed. "Oh look there she is." Cristina nodded to where Izzie was crossing the hall.

"Dr. Karev." She called out excitedly as she approached them. "I have got a brilliant case coming in; you will want to see this."

"What is it?" he asked as he noticed that when she got excited her eyes lit up.

"It's a surprise. She'll be here in thirty minutes arriving by helicopter." She replied smiling.

"I got you something." Alex said ignoring Cristina as she raised her eyebrow.

"Really?" Izzie asked in surprise.

"Yeah, here." Alex said as he pushed the small bag over to Izzie wishing he had waited to give this to her until tonight.

Izzie smiled as she pulled out a pair of ear plugs out of the bag.

"Anyone that stays over at Meredith's needs them, right Cristina?" Alex said nudging the cardio surgeon.

"Their great, thank you Alex." Izzie said smiling from ear to ear. She could feel her attraction for Alex growing and was disappointed when she realized that the middle of the hospital would be an inappropriate place to hug her colleague. "Well I better go prepare for my patient." She said as she flashed one more smile at Alex and Cristina and left.

"Holy crap." Cristina said.

"Shut it Yang." He said firmly.

"You know when I said keep you enemies close I did not mean buy her presents." Cristina said in an amused tone.

"It's not a present." He said quickly.

"What is it then? A loan? Are you gonna ask for them back when she's done with them?" She asked unable to stop smirking.

"There just ear plugs." He said defensively.

"You like her. You are into the Barbie who is after you job." She said accusingly.

"Listen Yang she's not after my job, she's just visiting her brother and I am just being neighbourly." He replied calmly.

"Really? How many people have neighbours who look as good as her? I've never seen you being neighbourly before, you've never done a nice thing for that fat middle aged woman who smells funny in the house next door to Meredith?" she smirked leaving Alex with nothing to say. "Exactly so maybe you should stop being neighbourly to the girl who has Mark Sloan wrapped around her finger and Derek Sheppard as her brother because they are certainly not going to be ok with you being neighbourly to her." Cristina pointed out smiling at Alex to prove she was right.

When she left Alex knew she was right. He was going to have to forget Izzie Stevens.


	11. Chapter 11

_Thanks so much for the reviews they make me wanna write again so keep em up!  
_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters etc, this is just for fun.  
_

"I heard you gave Izzie and Alex the audio show to your sex life." Mark announced as he joined Meredith, Cristina and Derek in the canteen.

"Ha yeah, way to go making a good impression on your future sister-in-law, Alex got her ear plugs so she wouldn't have to hear it again." Cristina sniggered.

"Ear plugs don't work on Meredith's snoring." Derek noted looking at Meredith who had turned bright red.

"They heard us?" she asked with a panicked tone in her voice.

"Yep, they heard everything." Mark said.

"Yeah even your pet name for Derek." Cristina added as she and Mark smirked at each other. Derek shrugged as he took another bite of his apple.

"What? Oh no I was doing so well, I finally had someone in your family who likes me." Meredith complained.

"She probably hates you now." Cristina said enjoying teasing Meredith as Alex joined them sitting down he placed his tray on the table as he interrupted the group's conversation.

"Your sister is amazing. She's after finding a woman who has two wombs and is carrying a baby in each and the babies have two different fathers. It's amazing, she's just amazing." He said excitedly. When Izzie paged him to meet his new patient he was not expecting anything as unusual as this case. This was the kind of case that you came across just once in your life and Izzie was more than willing to share the case with him.

Cristina just rolled her eyes and picked up her tray.

"Wow she's letting you share her patient. Isn't that neighbourly?" she said dryly as she left the table. Alex just rolled his eyes. Cristina was right though, he was getting more and more attracted to Izzie as the days went on but also knew that he needed to stop. He suddenly realized that he was becoming way too comfortable with Izzie. In the past two days he had made her hot-chocolate with pink marshmallows and bought her ear plugs. That was not how he operated with women. He was being a sweet guy and he is not a sweet guy. He needed to back off. Suddenly Meredith spoke distracting him from his thoughts.

"God that poor woman. Is she with one of the fathers?" she asked trying to figure out what she would do in that woman's position.

"I'm not too sure. Izzie said there was a man with her but I didn't seem him earlier." He noticed Marks frowning at him but decided to ignore it. He had been treating Izzie like a princess that was probably where all sweet actions were coming from. He was under strict orders from Mark to keep Izzie happy and he was doing his best to do that so what was his problem.

Mark was just about to open his mouth, he was not liking Alex more and more as the days went by, but he was interrupted when Bailey came scurrying over to their table.

"Derek, your sister she is just amazing. She's just what this hospital needs." Bailey declared as everyone's mouths dropped open. Bailey was famous for not liking any of the doctors who joined Seattle Grace but somehow Izzie had made a great impression on the busy chief resident.

"Bailey what's going on?" Meredith asked.

"I can't tell you yet. I've got to go see the Chief, but if this happens which it probably will, it will all be down to your rock star of a sister." Bailey gushed as she spotted the Chief and went to talk to him.

"What the hell is going on?" Derek asked as Alex shrugged.

"Like Bailey said she's a rock star."

* * *

Meredith took a deep breath as she entered the front door of her house. She knew Izzie was home. Walking into the kitchen she saw the blonde doctor reading something intently with her forehead creased.

"Hi Izzie." She said causing Izzie to jump slightly.

"Oh hi Meredith, I didn't hear you come in. How was your day?"

"Great, got to scrub in with Derek. I hear you have a really interesting patient." Meredith inquired glad that Izzie had not mentioned anything about hearing her and Derek the night before.

"Yeah, but really it's a case of monitoring her progress so it's not too hands on yet." Izzie said as her eyes returned to what she was reading.

"What are you reading?" Meredith inquired hoping she wasn't annoying Izzie.

"Oh, its Baileys proposal for the free clinic." Izzie replied.

"Yeah poor Bailey, she's been trying to set that up for ages and the Board love the idea just won't give her funding."

"That's what Bailey said." Izzie replied "so I'm thinking of helping her out. Can you grab my handbag there? There should be a brown envelope in it."

Meredith picked up Izzie's bag and searched until she found a crumpled up envelope. Holding it up she asked "Is this it?"

"Yeah, open it." Izzie instructed as once again her eyes returned to the booklet before her.

Meredith gingerly opened the envelope pulling out a crumpled cheque. Her mouth dropped to the ground and her palms instantly grew sweaty as she realized she was holding over $8 million.

"Holy crap Izzie." She stuttered.

Izzie took a deep breath. No one knew she had that cheque, she had not talked to Mark, Addison or Derek about it but for some reason today especially it began burning a hole in her bag. And Meredith was the person she needed to talk to about her cheque.

"Yeah I know." She sighed as Meredith searched her face for an explanation. "Denny's family gave it to me. Denny told them too. And now you're seeing crazy Izzie who carried around an $8 million cheque without depositing it for about ten months now."

She looked at Meredith who was waiting for her to continue.

"I've been waiting to find something good to do with it. I mean I don't need it I earn enough and Denny left me our apartment so I wanna do something good with it. And I think Bailey's clinic is perfect." Izzie said feeling her eyes begin to sting from unshed tears.

"That's why Bailey was gushing about you earlier." Meredith said giving Izzie a sympathetic smile because she did not know what else to do. "It's a really great thing to do Izzie."

"Yeah I think so. And Denny was really into providing medical care for people who could not afford it. The Chief in New York had to put a limit on the number of pro bono cases that he did because Denny was always doing them." Izzie laughed as her eyes sparkled from the memories. "What do you think? The Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic?"

"That sounds great Izzie. It's a really good idea I bet he'd be really proud of you." Meredith said softly.

"Can I ask you a favour? It's just I can deposit the cheque. It's like I'd be letting go. Will you come with me to the bank sometime?" Izzie asked nervously.

"Yeah of course Izzie but wouldn't you prefer Derek or Mark to go?"

"No" Izzie said shaking her head "And I'd prefer if you didn't tell them that I kept the cheque for so long. They'll start thinking that I'm not coping and try and make me talk about it. I am coping just in my own crazy way and they won't understand that. You didn't know Denny so you'd be better to go with. We could go grab lunch some day and then just go to the bank like everyone else and just deposit the cheque."

"Ok it's just a normal trip to the bank." Meredith confirmed as Izzie started to laugh.

"It's so stupid, I mean, I'm pathetic. I'm a grown woman whose fiancé has been dead for almost a year and I've moved away from home, I left my job and New York behind I've been on dates with other men but I'm afraid to go to the bank with this cheque." Izzie said as she quickly wiped tears from her eyes.

"Hey, you're not pathetic. You're just coping your way. Look I put my mother's ashes in a ziplock bag and I brought her to work. Don't ask me what that was about but it helped. People deal in different ways." Meredith said giving her an encouraging smile.

Smiling back Izzie was so glad she had told Meredith. "Thanks Meredith."

"No problem. You want a coffee?" Meredith asked as she carefully the crumpled cheque back into Izzie's bag.

"Sure." Izzie nodded.

"So you have dated other men?" Meredith asked smiling.

"Yes." Izzie sighed. "Addison decided it would be good for me. She set me up with this gorgeous man called Tom. I hated the idea at first only did it to get Addi to shut up but I actually enjoyed it but he wanted to move faster than I was ready for so then she set me up two other guys and it was fun but none of them made a lasting impression."

"So what do you think of the men in Seattle?" Meredith asked as she munched on a cookie.

"Well I dunno I've been here less than a week." Izzie shrugged.

"What about Alex?" Meredith asked Cristina was not the only one who had noticed a change in Alex since Izzie's arrival.

"What about him?" Izzie asked praying that she wasn't blushing at the mention of his name. She was attracted to him but he probably was just being nice because Mark given him the Princess Izzie talk.

"Well I think he's interested in you. He was talking about how great you are at lunch earlier. He's really taken a shine to you. He called you a rock star" Meredith said as she placed a mug of coffee on the table beside Izzie. They both heard the front door open and two voices float through the house.

"Alex?" Meredith called out and a few minutes later Alex appeared at the door followed by Nurse Lauren.

"Hey guys I'm just grabbing my jacket." He said as moved to pull his jacket off back of the chair Izzie was sitting on. He immediately noticed that her eyes were sparkling as if she had been crying but she smiled brightly at him as she passed him the jacket his fingers brushed against hers sending a warm feeling through his body.

"Where are you going?" Meredith asked eyeing up Lauren who was standing in the doorway still.

"Out for dinner." Alex replied wanting to get out of the kitchen fast. "Bye." He called over his shoulder as Lauren gave the girls a quick wave and said bye too.

On hearing the front door close after Alex and his nurse Meredith cursed herself for mentioning Alex to Izzie. She had no idea that Alex had even noticed Lauren before today. Turning back to Izzie she lamely said "Seattle's a big place plenty more fish in the sea." Looking at each other they both burst out laughing.


	12. Chapter 12

_Thanks so much for the reviews they usually make me update quicker but life is crazy right now! This chapter is kind of a filler but after this the story should get going. Oh and Derek and Mark have a larger role to play soon give me time I'll get there :) So enjoy and review!_

_Disclaimer: I dont own Greys or the characters!  
_

Alex was bored. Really really bored. And the simple reason was that usually he did not date. He usually picked up some random girl in Joes sometimes they were nurses, sometimes they were not but that was his method. Ever since he dated Rebecca, which in hindsight was a relationship destined to fail, he had sworn off dating and now because of Izzie Steven's he was on a disaster of a date with a girl who was not Izzie Stevens.

And what was worse was that Izzie had been at home and seen him leaving with Lauren. He could not decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Did he want her to think that he was dating or did he want her to know that he was still very much single and available?

Looking down at Laurens plate Alex almost groaned out loud when he noticed that she had still not even eaten a third of the food. His empty plate lay in front of him. He had eaten fast in the hopes of getting out of the restaurant fast and as far away as possible from boring Lauren. In his efforts to get away from his Izzie problem he may have created an even bigger problem which was overly keen and chatty Lauren. The only time he found her interesting was when she talked about Izzie and working on a procedure with her and that had been over forty minutes ago. Since then Lauren had taken fifteen minutes to decide what she would order, talked about her home town which was in the middle of nowhere in Iowa, she then got really excited when Alex mentioned that he came from Iowa too and she started listing off people from Iowa that he might know. This only led his mind wander back to Izzie Stevens.

Part of him was terrified at how fast Izzie had become the only thing he thought about. He only knew her a few days. He knew the exact moment he started thinking about Izzie. It was after the first time he saw her in Joes, when she was sitting at the table alone. Honestly looking back on the misunderstanding he was not just annoyed because he thought Derek was cheating on Meredith he was also jealous that Derek was with Izzie. Of course that was all just a misunderstanding but the next time his feelings for her grew was when she had reintroduced herself as Derek's sister, and since then he had been falling for her, and falling fast. It was wrong and totally out of character which was why he was now on his date. Putting some much needed distance between him and Izzie. Except he wasn't really putting any distance between them as all he was doing was thinking about her. He was wondering what she was doing tonight and would she still be up when he got home. At the rate Lauren was talking he would be lucky to get home before midnight.

Tonight he could honestly say was the worst night of his life as Lauren decided she wanted to order a desert.

* * *

Derek returned home to Meredith's frat as he fondly called it at 7. He had a really long day and was looking forward to getting back to the house and finally getting a chance to hang out with his sister, Meredith and Mark, who said he'd call over later. Izzie had only been in Seattle four days and he had really only seen her the first night they went out and that night was very blurry. In usual Izzie fashion she had thrown herself deep into work in the hospital and was making a huge effort to get to know her new colleagues and Meredith in particular.

Nothing in the world made him happier than knowing that Izzie and Meredith actually genuinely got on. He had heard from Mark that Izzie had really liked Meredith, he had heard from Meredith that she was really fond of Izzie and Izzie had cornered him in work to gush about how much she liked Meredith. Entering the front door he found Izzie rushing around while Meredith was sitting on the couch reading something off Izzie's laptop.

"Hey girls." Derek said announcing he was home.

"Hi, how was your last surgery?" Meredith asked over her shoulder.

"Fine, a few nervy moments but the patient came though." He said as Izzie dashed upstairs. Meredith was now fully engrossed in what she was reading as Derek took his coat off. Returning a few moments later Izzie said.

"What you think Mer?"

"It's really good. I can't see anything that needs fixing. Maybe you should change 'this would be a great facility for the hospital' to 'this would be a great resource for Seattle Grace' maybe I dunno, it's just a suggestion."

"Yeah that does sound better" Izzie agreed as she quickly tied up her hair into a messy bun. "Can you change it for me please?"

"What would be a great facility for Seattle Grace?" Derek asked as he joined Meredith on the couch.

"Nothing. You'll find out in good time." Izzie sang as Meredith passed her the laptop which Izzie shut down.

"You can tell me later. I asked Mark over thought we could all hang out, get Chinese?" Derek suggested after he placed a kiss on Meredith's forehead.

"Oh I'd love to but I'm going over to Baileys." Izzie said as she threw her phone and purse into her bag, further hiding her massive cheque.

"You're what?" Derek asked stunned.

"Going over to house." Izzie repeated.

"But I've never been there. No one even knows where she lives." He stammered.

Just then a cab pulled up outside.

"Well I know where she lives." Izzie said grabbing her bag and laptop. "See ya Mer. Don't wait up." Izzie said as she dashed out the door.

"Bye Izzie, good luck with it." Meredith said waving to her new friend as Derek turned to her.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked only to receive a quick shrug from Meredith who was grinning.

"Not telling."


	13. Chapter 13

_Sorry I have not updated in awhile just finished exams! So now there done I'm back. Thanks SO much for the reviews, they make me SO happy so keep them up._

_Hope you like this._

_As always I own nothing!  
_

Mark groaned as Derek placed a bowl in front of him on Meredith's kitchen table.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Muesli. It's good for you." Derek responded as Meredith made a pot of coffee.

"It looks like cat litter." Mark complained while he poked it with a spoon, there was no way he was eating this. "Actually cats would not take a crap in this stuff it's that bad."

"Cat's wouldn't crap in it because its organic muesli, it's got nuts, raisins and oats." Derek said as he joined Mark at the table with his own bowl of muesli.

"I only came here because I thought I was going to get Izzie's pancakes this morning. I slept on your stupid couch and I get this crap." He moaned.

"Not my fault Izzie stayed at Baileys last night working on this secret project which Meredith won't tell us anything about." Derek pointed out.

"I'm still not telling. I'll make you pancakes Mark." Meredith offered. How hard could it be she thought, if Izzie can do it so could she.

"Thanks Meredith." Mark said while Derek was glad he had stuck with his muesli, and somehow he had the feeling that Mark would be thinking the same thing after one bite of Meredith's pancakes.

"So when's the wedding going to be?" Mark asked as he pushed the muesli away from him.

"We still have to find time to set a date." Meredith answered as she pulled ingredients out of cupboards while wondering if she needed eggs.

"I'm still trying to get her to wear the ring." Derek said.

"God remember Izzie when Denny proposed, she wouldn't take the thing off for fear of losing it." Mark laughed.

"Yeah, and she went around with her hand held out everywhere she went." Derek responded fondly remembering his half sisters overly dramatic gestures employed to flash her ring at all times.

"That was a beautiful ring." Mark remembered.

"Yeah." Derek agreed. Grief was a funny thing. Derek had reached a stage where he could talk about his father without feeling sad. He assumed it was because time had healed the initial pain but he did not think that would ever be the case with Denny. Denny was Derek's best friend some people might assume that it was Mark but they would be wrong. He had grown up with Mark and met Denny in college. They had gotten close when Izzie and Mark became best friends. At first it bothered him that Izzie and Mark got on so well. For the first few months he waited for Mark to screw up and sleep with Izzie but it never happened. So while Mark was hanging out with Izzie, Derek became friends with Denny who lived down the hall from him.

Denny was the only guy who Derek could have imagined being even close enough to being good enough for Izzie. And now, talking about Izzie's engagement ring, Derek's mood fell. It was heartbreaking to think that Izzie had practically been widowed before she had reached her thirties. Derek was pulled from his thoughts as Alex came into the kitchen.

"Morning." He said sleepily as he grabbed a cup of coffee and took the seat next to Mark.

"So where is she?" Meredith sang.

"Where's who?" Mark asked curiously.

"Your date from last night? How did it go?"

"Oh Lauren. Yeah it was alright. She didn't stay over if that's what you're asking." Alex responded with a bored tone in his voice.

"You were out with Nurse Lauren?" Derek questioned.

"Yep."

"She's a really nice girl." Mark said hoping that Alex dating other women was a sign that he was not interested in Izzie.

"Yeah she is, not really my type though." He said looking to change the subject on to a topic he enjoyed better he asked. "Where's Izzie? I was hoping for some pancakes."

"Me too." Mark grumbled as she looked at Meredith who was clearly struggling.

"I'm making pancakes." Meredith said happily. "Izzie didn't come home last night because she..." Suddenly there was a big clatter as Meredith dropped the pan after burning her hand.

"Shit." She exclaimed as she began to run her hand under cold water. Derek quickly joined her at the sink to check she was ok.

"You ok?" Mark asked as he and Alex watched the chaos in the kitchen. Looking at Alex he could tell that the young doctor was dying to know where Izzie was. Well he wasn't going to clarify it for him. Standing up he stretched.

"I think I'll grab breakfast in the hospital. Thanks."

* * *

Alex had not seen Izzie all day. He knew she was due in at noon but now it was three and he still had not seen her. He hated that he could not concentrate. Ever since this morning his head had been spinning wondering where she had stayed last night. He was sure that there would be a perfectly reasonable explanation, there had to be but he could not think of one. She didn't stay at Marks and if she had he was pretty sure he would be as wound up as he was now. Hell would freeze over before Mark Sloan would have a platonic female friend. Especially a friend as beautiful as Izzie.

His mind kept wandering to a place he did not want it to go. Izzie must have had a date and gone home with whoever the lucky bastard was. Izzie was not a hook up at a bar kinda girl so it had to be a date. But she had never said she had a date. He wanted to ask Meredith but he was pretty sure Cristina would have told Meredith about him liking Izzie so he was trying to play it cool.

Entering the locker room he finally came across Izzie with her eyes tightly shut rattling off a speech. She looked amazing. Her hair was pinned up in a French twist and she was wearing a black business suit with an electric blue shirt. She was passing back and forth across the room so he gave the door a quick tap to let her know he was there. Her eyes flew open in surprise and quickly her mouth turned into a happy grin.

"Alex hi." She giggled. "God I must look crazy talking to myself."

"Yeah a bit." He agreed also grinning. "What are you doing?"

"Practicing." She sighed "I have this presentation to the board and I feel so out of my league. It's a business presentation so I'm talking about profit margins, debentures, accounts. I don't understand half this stuff, give me a medical topic and I could talk for hours but this stuff is like a foreign language to me."

"Why are you giving a business presentation?" Alex asked.

"Well you know Baileys clinic?" she said as she gingerly took a seat on the bench. She had only told Meredith her plans so far and she really didn't think she should tell Alex because she was fairly certain that the board would say no to their new proposals but nerves were eating her stomach so she needed reassurance.

"The one that she can't get financing for."

"Yes, well I'm going to provide the financing." Izzie rushed on as she noticed Alex's face look questioningly at her. "Denny he was my fiancé; well he died and left me a lot of money so I wanted to spend it on something good. And I think this is good."

"Wow, that's a really good thing to do." Alex said as he joined her on the bench. It was the first time he had heard her talk about Denny. They all knew the story, all the staff knew that he had died a little under a year ago. He knew Izzie didn't need to be comforted, she was strong and independent. "Want to practice? I'll listen, won't understand any of it either but it might help?"

Izzie scrunched up her nose and looked down at her note on her lap. "No thanks, I was up all night at Baileys pulling this together I know it, I just need distracting. Oh tell me about your date? How did it go?" she asked nudging him in the ribs.

There it was his perfectly reasonable explanation for the lack of pancakes this morning. He felt his body relax. Now it was Alex's turn to wrinkle his nose. "Yeah it was ok; just don't think she's the right girl for me."

"Oh really? Oh that's too bad. But you know plenty more fish in the sea." Izzie said repeating what Meredith had said to her less than 24 hours ago.

"Yeah, I think it was the worst date I've ever been on. She has a pony back home, called Sugar. She talked about Sugar a lot."

"Ugh, boring. Well I was on this date about two months ago and the guy was lovely, really normal, he was a architect and he was really good looking and we went for dinner but he had to leave half way through, turns out he still lived with his mom and she had a curfew. He was like 32 and looking for "the one." Kinda sad but bless him, it was kinda sweet to meet such an innocent guy." Izzie giggled.

"So you were not the one?" Alex asked.

"Ha no, think I was a bit to wild for him, I stay out later than 11."

Suddenly they were joined by Mark and Lauren.

"There he is." Marks voice boomed as he smiled at Alex "Laurens been looking for you."

"Hey Alex." She said shyly. "I was just wondering if you're free later?"

"Um I." Alex began only to be saved by Izzie.

"You're not remember you told Derek you'd help him with measurements on his land." Izzie lied receiving grateful smile from Alex.

"I can help him with that." Mark said not letting Izzie cover for Alex that easily.

"But I booked us a table for dinner later." Izzie said quickly growing angry with Mark as Meredith and Bailey came into the room.

"Sorry Lauren." Alex said as she shrugged and muttered something about getting back to work.

"Meredith there you are. How's your hand?" Mark asked.

"A bit sore." Meredith replied holding out her left hand out.

"Still not wearing the ring I see?" Mark said, "Izzie show Meredith your ring, it's beautiful."

"I don't wear it." Izzie said simply her eyes burning at Mark. "We all ready to go?" Izzie asked Bailey as she gathered up her things receiving words of good luck from Alex and Meredith. She would deal with Mark later but right now she had to secure Baileys clinic.


	14. Chapter 14

_Thanks for all the great reviews. I think Mark came across a bit to protective in the last chapter but it will be all cleared up soon._

_Let me know what you think.__  
_

Mark knew his was a dead man. The final dirty look he got from Izzie just over an hour ago was like none he had ever seen before. And in ways he could understand where Izzie was coming from. Maybe he was acting a bit extreme but he would never admit that to Izzie. It was just a matter of time before Izzie would hunt him down and knowing her temper it would not be pretty.

"Dr. Sloan I was hoping maybe you would be able to teach me something today?" Lexie said holding out a coffee for him. "I know we're in trouble for cutting out our own organs and really I'll be lucky to get within an OR in the next 6months but I was thinking I should use this time to learn, and I want to learn about plastics."

"No." Mark replied.

"But this is a teaching hospital and I was hoping that you know maybe you would teach." Lexie rushed on.

"No, little Grey I will not be teaching you anything." Mark said wishing that the girl would just leave him alone so that he could be a good friend to Derek and do as he was told. But Lexie seemed determined to ruin his good intentions. "Go find someone else to teach you."

"But Dr. Sloan." She pleaded.

"Grey I said go." He replied turning to look at her he notice Izzie walking towards him with a determined look on her face. "Shit, Grey stay." He said quickly grabbing Lexie by the arm setting his hand on fire from contact with the young doctor. In that moment he was ashamed to admit that he needed Lexie Grey to protect him from Izzie.

"Mark, I need to talk to you." Izzie barked as she stood beside Lexie.

"Sorry Iz, I'm busy teaching Dr. Grey here." Mark said lamely.

"This can't wait Sloan. I'm sure Dr. Grey won't mind if I borrow you for two minutes though I can't guarantee that he'll come back alive." Izzie said staring at Mark.

"I think I hear Yang calling me." Lexie stuttered. Izzie looked furious.

"Thank you, Dr. Grey." Izzie said as she grabbed Mark by the arm. Her nails digging into his flesh as she marched him down the hall into his office. Nerves grew in the pit of his stomach as she shoved him into the office and slammed the door behind her. Before she began he knew he had to talk first.

"How did your meeting with the board go?" he asked in an innocent tone.

"Well it would have gone better if my brain wasn't thinking of 101 ways I could kill you. What the hell was that earlier?"

"What?" he asked.

"Pushing Alex to go out with Lauren?"

"I think they would make a great couple." He replied trying to sound innocent while guilt shined in his eyes.

"Yeah well he doesn't and it's his decision." Izzie hissed back. "Why are you interfering?"

"Look Iz I think he likes you and you're not ready to move on after Denny. I was trying to make things easier for you and with Karev out of the picture they would be."

Izzie could not help a smile from forming on her face. Mark thought Alex liked her, part of her wanted to stop being mad an grill him on what made him think that but then she remembered just how embarrassed she had felt when he had tried to push Alex on a date with Lauren.

"Mark it's my decision. How do you know when I'm ready?" she huffed.

"Iz, your just not. And I was a crap friend to you when Denny got sick, running off here chasing Addison and Derek when I should have been in New York looking after you. I'm trying to make up for it now and I'm doing it by keeping you away from Alex. He's not good enough for you." He said his voice rising as he continued.

"Again Mark it's my decision who I date and when I date. Not yours. You need to back off, I'm fine. I don't need looking after. I know you think I'm poor broken Izzie who'll never recover from Denny's death but I'm good. Not great but I'm getting there and I think, actually I know I'm ready to date again. So back off, because right now you're not being my friend your being an ass."

"No Izzie I know you better than you think. I'm not going to just sit back and watch you jump into something with that jackass Alex. He's not good enough for you and he'll hurt you. You think you're ready to date but you're not, Izzie your not the same woman I became friends with your broken and you need more time to heal."

She knew deep down that Mark had her best interests at heart but he was acting like an ass, but in his defence he was an ass who did not have the full story. Taking a deep breath she realized it was time to tell him something she had never told anyone.

"Denny and I broke up." She said softly as she noticed shock flood his face. "Before he got sick, we broke up."

"What?" Mark began to ask as his pager when off soon followed by hers.

"911" he said rushing out the door suddenly uncertain if he knew Izzie as well as he thought he did.

* * *

When Alex arrived home at ten that evening he found Izzie baking in Meredith's kitchen. She was surrounded by muffins, cakes and was furiously mixing ingredients in a bowl.

"Hey, How did it go with the board today?" he asked as he shrugged of his jacket and grabbed a muffin.

"Fine. We find out tomorrow." Izzie said. She sounded mad so he tried to lighten the mood.

"So if they don't accept it you're planning on opening a bakery?"

Izzie continued to stir furiously.

"No, I bake when I'm pissed off or upset. Do you like fruitcake?"

"Um yeah it's ok." He said cautiously wanting to know who or what had her upset or pissed off so he could fix it. God he had fallen hard.

"Well don't eat any of this. It's for Mark, he loves my fruitcake. I'm going to add cyanide." She commented with a serious look on her face.

"Why are you poisoning Mark?" he was not sure if he should ask but she looked like she needed to vent her anger.

"Because Mark is an ass. He said I'm broken. I'm not broken he's just so fixated on trying to fix me that he doesn't get that I am fine." She huffed. "Do I seem like the kind of person that is broken?" she asked.

"No." Alex said as he watched her add more raisins to the mixture.

"He had no idea what I've been through but I'm over it now. I'm not broken. I have a great career, great friends and I'm going to be one of the best neonatal surgeons this country has ever seen. What's he going to achieve fixing people's noses?" She ranted.

"And you know what he did? He tried to use Lexie to avoid me earlier. It's so annoying he really likes Lexie and he won't do anything about it because of some rule he has with Derek. Like it's so stupid putting everyone else's happiness before his own. Rules are there for breaking, it's not like Derek wants Lexie for himself. Mark needs to understand that life is precious. I mean we see that every day in the hospital. He needs to just forget…" Izzie said until Alex grabbed her hand and made her put down the spoon she was stirring. His finger gently brushed across her knuckles. Izzie's heart began beating so hard and so fast when she looked into her eyes. Slowly he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Izzie leaned in closer increasing the pressure and increasing her heart rate. His lips were soft and he tasted like one of her blueberry muffins. Her mouth opened and allowed his tongue to brush gently against hers. As he pulled away a shiver ran down her spine.

Her eyes searched his for an explanation as he squeezed her hand he said.

"I just wanted to try breaking the rules."


	15. Chapter 15

_Sorry this has taken awhile to write. Thanks for reviews, let me know what you think of this._

Alex waited nervously for Izzie to respond. It was as if time stood still and suddenly his nerves were building and his palms were growing sweaty. What had he just done? What had he just said? And more importantly how would she react? He had wanted to kiss her since the first moment he had seen her and now he had done it. And it was better than any kiss he had ever had before. Izzie's lips were soft and the moment they had brushed against his they had sent a bolt of electricity through him. And he wanted to kiss her again and again and again but he had probably ruined it now.

Time needed to hurry up because Alex could not wait any longer for a response. Maybe he should run, apologise and run. The next step would be to avoid her at all times which would be pretty hard seen as they worked together and lived together but maybe he could pull it off.

As one hundred and one ways of avoiding Izzie ran through his mind he noticed the corners of her mouth curl into a small smile. Her eyes connected with his and she leaned closer to him. Her hand rested on his forearm as their lips made contact again. Alex was just about deepen the kiss when the noise of the front door opening caused both Izzie and Alex to jump apart. Izzie quickly returned to stirring the cake mix while Alex made his way to the fridge to search for food as Derek and Meredith joined them on the kitchen unaware of how unwelcome their arrival was.

"Hey guys. Wow, Izzie are you opening a bakery?" Meredith asked.

"That's what I said." Alex says smiling.

"Iz, what's wrong?" Derek asks concern etched all over his face.

"Nothing. Just felt like baking." Izzie says, since the two very brief kisses with Alex she has lost all interest in baking unlike her interest in kissing Alex which had just intensified.

"Did the presentation not go well? You only bake when you're mad." Derek points out as Meredith passes him a muffin.

"It went really well actually. The board didn't ask many questions, I don't know if that means that we covered everything or if they just hated the idea but we find out tomorrow." Izzie explained as she dished her mixture into a cake tin.

"So what's with all the baking then?" Meredith asked as she bit into a cupcake.

"Just felt like it." Izzie explained as the doorbell rang and Derek left to answer it.

"Wow this is amazing. Have you tasted these Alex?" Meredith asked as Derek and a nervous looking Mark walked into the kitchen.

"No I think I'll take one and go to bed." Alex said immediately realising that Mark and Izzie had some talking to do. "You must be really tired Meredith, didn't you have a long surgery today?"

"I'm fine. Hey Mark, have one of Izzie's cupcakes, their amazing." Meredith said.

"Thanks Mer, do you guys mind if I have a word with Izzie alone?" Mark asked without making eye contact with Izzie.

"Sure." Derek says in a curious tone as he makes his way out of the kitchen followed by Meredith and Alex.

"Actually Derek will you stay, I need to tell you something." Izzie says before they all leave. Alex smiles at her as he ushers Meredith into the hall and closes the door behind him.

Mark and Derek sit at the kitchen table while Izzie continues to clear away the mess she made when she was baking.

"Iz, I am really sorry about earlier. I should never have interfered." Mark begins.

"Its fine, I know you were only looking out for me. Just forget about it Mark. Your here to find out about Denny." Izzie says as a confused frown creases Derek's forehead. "Denny and I broke up before he got sick."

"Why?" Derek asks in a shocked voice as Izzie joined them at the kitchen table.

"It just wasn't working out anymore. We got into this routine, and gradually the extra little things that made us a great couple started to fall away. In the end we hadn't gone out to dinner in about six months or done anything that couples do. We just had sex because we knew we should but even that had lost its sparkle. We had a routine that sucked, I'd wake up, make him breakfast, I'd go to the gym and he'd go to work, then we'd have lunch with people on our departments never with each other. When he finished work he'd go to the gym and by the time I got home he'd be in bed so I'd go to bed. I love Denny, I love him so much but I wasn't in love with him anymore and he wasn't in love with me. He got offered an amazing job in Australia and I didn't want to go with him. I knew we were over; I couldn't uproot my life for a man it wasn't going to work with. Is this making any sense?" Izzie asked as she looked at Derek and Mark who were both shocked.

"Kinda." Mark answered as Derek kept staring blankly as her.

"We broke up on a Tuesday, he was going to accept the job and leave for Australia in a month so he moved into the spare bedroom. I came home from work on Thursday night and found him collapsed in the kitchen. And from then on you guys know the story."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Derek asked.

"What was the point? Denny had cancer, no one needed to know we broke up because that was not an issue any more. His health was all I focused on for the next six months. I looked after him the way I would have if we had still been together, he was my best friend and I wasn't going to stop looking after him just because we were not officially together anymore."

"I knew I should have gone back there, I can't believe I let you go through that on your own." Mark said as he grabbed Izzie's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Iz, all it would have taken was just one phone call and I would have been right there. We both would have been there for you." Derek stressed.

"I was fine; I have other friends who were there for me. And Denny himself was great. He kept trying to set me up with men so I'd have someone when he was gone. I think he even fell for this sweet nurse who was caring for him they used play dirty word scrabble together. I didn't go through it alone and Denny and I found out that we are just as great as friends. We got to know each other all over again as friends; it was great and apart from him dying it all turned out really well." Izzie said smiling even though tears were shining in her eyes.

"I miss him." Mark said simply as Izzie wiped her eyes.

"Me too." Derek agreed as Izzie nodded.

After a few moments silence Izzie stood from the table and found a bottle of wine in the press.

"I think we need to drink." She said smirking as the boys agreed.


	16. Chapter 16

_So here's a quick update. Let me know what you think._

Izzie felt like she was floating on a marshmallow. Her bed seemed to hug her body and her duvet was wrapped around her. She was half awake and half asleep but she was happy. Telling Mark and Derek the truth about her and Denny had lifted a weight off her shoulders. Granted they did not know everything but they knew enough. And that left her with the ability to focus her full attention on the amazing kisses with the doctor she had grown most fond off since her arrival in Seattle.

A smug smile graced her lips as she thought about her encounter with him yesterday. It was better than the dreams, fantasies and daydreams she had been having about Alex. As she snuggled down further in the bed she felt a warm had graze her hip and finally rest on her waist, wiggling closer her back came in contact with a firm, muscular torso and a stubbly chin rested on her shoulder. As she moved the full stubble scratched her shoulder. Twisting around she came face to face with Mark who was still sleeping. Screaming at him she quickly untangled herself from his hold and the duvet and jumped out of bed.

"What?" he moaned.

"What are you doing in my bed?" she screeched.

"Like hell was I going to sleep on that couch downstairs and you were the one who got me so drunk that I couldn't drive home. It's no big deal Iz." He explained and he was right, they had spent many nights sleeping in the same bed, they were friends, it was fine. Suddenly Mark began to laugh. "Jesus did you think I was Karev?"

"No, no of course not." Izzie exclaimed in shock, her cheeks reddening as she remembered telling Mark about the kiss and how much she liked Alex. That one bottle of wine had quickly turned into three or was it four and after Derek had retired she had spilled her guts to Mark who in turn had blurted his feelings about Lexie.

"Then there's no problem, come back to bed Princess, I promise I won't try to cop a feel." He said throwing back the covers.

"No I'm going to grab a shower, and you always try to cop a feel." Izzie retaliated as she gathered up some clothes deciding it would be safest to change in the bathroom.

"Izzie I work with and make amazing breasts every day I don't need to grab yours." Mark said as she exited her room.

Looking over her shoulder she shouted back,

"Mark you're a good plastic surgeon but none of your boobs will be better than mine." As Izzie turned back to the bathroom she collided with the muscular torso she had been wishing was in her bed only a few minutes earlier. "Shit, Sorry."

"It's ok." He replied quickly as a shy smile grew on Izzie's lips.

Biting her lip Izzie's brain was working over time to come up with something to say, but she had nothing. As the moments ticked on she started feeling stupider and stupider.

"Are you ok after yesterday? The baking and all that?" Alex asked cautiously.

"Um, yeah it's all fine now, thanks." Izzie said suddenly wondering if he had only kissed her because he felt sorry for her. The awkward silence returned only to be broken by Marks gruff voice as he tumbled out of Izzie's room. Sensing the atmosphere he smirked.

"Bet you wish you went back to bed now." He mumbled in Izzie's ear as he smacked her on the ass causing her to jump. Nodding at Alex he made his way into the bathroom leaving Izzie and Alex once again alone in the hall in silence.

"Well I'm going to get breakfast started, you want some pancakes?" Izzie asked deciding her shower would have to wait.

"I was just going to grab some of your muffins. Don't want to see them going to waste." Alex replied as Izzie's face reddened for the second time that morning. She had sure given him front row seats to the crazy Izzie show yesterday.

"Yeah, I'm bringing in a basket or two for the staff. Well I'll see you at work." Izzie said as she retreated back into her room. Closing the door behind her she sighed. What started out looking like a good day had now nosedived into one likely to be filled with awkwardness.

* * *

"Merlot." Mark said as he leaned against the nurses' station and studied Alex.

"Excuse me?" Alex asked in confusion.

"Merlot, she likes red wine but she especially likes Merlot. And I believe 2005 was a good year." Mark explained.

"Are you talking about Dr. Stevens?" Alex asked cautiously.

"Of course. She doesn't eat fish so don't take her to some seafood restaurant."

"Restaurant?" Alex questions again. He had no idea where he stood with Izzie. He had barely even had a chance to think about it. Last night his thoughts were consumed with getting the opportunity to kiss her again but then this morning things seemed weird and Mark seemed to have stayed in her room. It made him very aware of how little he knew about Izzie's 'friendship' with Mark. Luckily he didn't have time to dwell on it because he had been working nonstop since he arrived in the hospital.

"For your date." Mark supplied with a frown, "Look Karev I owe you an apology. I was an ass the other day trying to set you and Lauren up, I thought I was protecting Izzie because honestly you wouldn't be my first choice for her but for some reason she's taken a shine to you."

"Thanks for the honesty." Alex said through gritted teeth.

"Don't take it personally I mean I didn't like her dating Denny and that turned out really well. I'm here aren't I, trying to help you, giving you hints about her likes and dislikes. I'm giving you a green light. And I don't think I need to tell you that if you hurt her I'll hurt you." Mark explained.

"A green light? What about you and her?" Alex asks.

"Me and Izzie, hell no. She's my best friend but she's also a plant. She's beautiful, smells nice but I don't want to have sex with her. We're really close, so I slept in her room last night. Slept ,nothing more." Mark explains. "Alex she likes you, so do something about it."

"So 2005 Merlot and no fish?" Alex asks.

"Exactly." Mark says clapping Alex on the back as he turns and strolls down the hall. He had done something good, he could feel it.

* * *

As Alex approached Izzie he was certain his heart was going to jump out of his throat. He had never been this nervous asking a girl out since he had been sixteen. Izzie was just scrubbing out and her forehead was creased in concentration as she scrubbed her delicate hands. He passed her a towel as she said hello to him.

"Have you heard anything about the clinic?" Alex asked nervously needing to build up to asking her out.

"Yeah the Board said they won't have a decision for a few days. It's really frustrating, I'm just so nervous you know?"

Alex nodded, by now he was an expert with feeling nervous. There was no point putting it off for much longer he took a deep breath.

"So I was wondering would you like to go out for dinner later with me?"

The question hung in the air for a moment as he studied Izzie's face. She scrunched up her nose before answering.

"No."


	17. Chapter 17

_I am so sorry that it took so long to update after the way I ended the last chapter! I'm really glad I did though because this new idea came to me today and I really like this compaired to what I was going to write. Let me know what you think? Feed back is loved and appreciated! X_

Alex rubbed his neck in frustration. Every part of his body hurt. Every part of his body was screaming for him to go home and have a hot shower and go to bed but he would not listen. Izzie would be at home and since she had rejected his idea of going on a date earlier he was now playing a game called 'Avoiding Izzie'. And so far he had been successful. Getting dragged into a seven hour surgery at lunch had helped immensely. Maybe he'd go to Joe's for a couple of hours, it had been awhile since he had caught up with the barman there and it was a Tuesday night so it would be quiet. Signing off on his final chart he made his decision; he would grab a shower in the hospital and then hit Joe's for a few.

Walking towards the locker room he passed the Chief and Sloan and could not help but scowl when Mark smiled and winked at him. He had probably already heard from Izzie that he had been shot down. Turning the corner he entered the locker room and roughly grabbed his stuff out of his locker.

"So Barbie turned you down?" Cristina purred smugly from the corner of the room.

"What?" Alex barked.

"Well I overheard Sloan say you were going to ask Blondie out and I'm guessing from your mood she shot you down." Cristina said in a bored tone as she flicked though a magazine.

"She didn't, she just said no. No big deal, I don't really care anyway."

"Bullshit, you so do care. I can't believe you'd try to lie to me Evil Spawn, you know I can read you like a book." Cristina countered as Alex noticed she had a strange gleam in her eye.

"Are you plotting something?" he asked curiously trying to change the topic.

"No, I'm just saying, you like her Alex." Cristina said softly as she moved closer to him "I've never seen you into a girl this much before and she likes you, it's obvious just give her a chance. I mean she was in a relationship for six years before the guy died it must be weird for her dating again."

"I thought you didn't like her? And she has dated since he died." Alex countered.

"I don't like her, but you do. Look how messed up my love life is since Burke left me, I'm in some weird limbo with Hunt because he has war issues and I have Burke issues. I'm just saying don't just forget about her yet."

"You're acting weird." Alex said frowning at his friend. He had known Cristina for about four years now but they never had serious conversations.

"Ugh, whatever. I'm just giving you advice. You want to go to Joe's? You can cry into a beer over Barbie and I'll throw darts at Owens head?" Cristina offered, she had had enough of their little heart-to-heart.

"Sure, what did Hunt do now?" Alex asked. Cristina was right about one thing, her relationship, if that's what you would call it, with Hunt was messed up. Alex could barely follow what was happening with the pair. As Cristina began to rant about Owens shortcomings Meredith ran into the locker room.

"Alex a pipe burst in the kitchen and there is water everywhere at home. Izzie can't stop it. She's called a Plummer but he won't be available for a few hours." Meredith explained breathlessly.

"I'm going to Joe's with Yang." Alex exclaimed hoping his friends would not push him into the role of knight in shining armour for a woman who was clearly not interested. The problem was she had seemed interested, he didn't think he had read the signals wrong but obviously he had. Her rejection earlier was proof of that.

"Alex my whole kitchen is getting flooded and Derek and I have surgery. You have to go." Meredith stressed urgently. "Izzie can't stop it, she's got soaked just trying to get near the source of it. My kitchen is going to get ruined. Just go home and stop it and then meet Cristina in Joe's after. It will only take you an hour. Please Alex"

"Ok fine, I'm going." He said collecting his stuff quickly, so much for avoiding Izzie he thought. "You owe me Mer." He huffed as he rushed passed the two girls.

"A burst pipe Mer? Was that the best you could come up with?" Cristina snorted.

"It worked didn't it." Meredith retorted with a smile. "Do you think he has a clue?"

"No, that boy has no idea that we just set him up." Cristina replied also smiling.

* * *

Reaching Meredith's house in record speed Alex pulled into the drive. He was cursing Cristina for her little chat in the locker room which had now given him renewed hope. Sighing to himself he reiterated that Izzie was not interested. He would go into the kitchen and find the source of the flood, fix it and run back out to Joe's. It was a pathetic plan, but it was the best he had.

Jumping out of the car he ran up the porch steps two at a time. Entering the front door, he threw his keys on the side table and called out for Izzie.

"Kitchen." She shouted.

As he made his way through the hall he expected to see the kitchen in disarray, water gushing from piping or the dish washer. What he found however had him stopping in his tracks in the doorway. Izzie was standing behind the Island busy preparing dinner. When she saw him enter she stopped and nervously bit her lip. She was wearing a green sundress and her soft curls hung loosely around her face. The table was set for two people.

"What's this?" Alex asked.

"Our date." Izzie replied unable to keep the nerves from her voice. "That's if you still want a date? Maybe you made other plans for tonight, that's ok. I made lasagne I don't know if you like it but it's the only thing I'm any good at cooking. I mean I know you like my pancakes but I'm awful at cooking dinners. Do you still want a date?"

"I thought you didn't want to?" he asked cautiously, beginning to wonder if she was playing some game with him.

"No I did, I mean I do. You ran off earlier before I got a chance to explain." Izzie said as her cheeks burned; maybe this was a bad idea. She should have just faced facts that she had blown it with Alex earlier and moved on. The only thing was there was no one she wanted to move on with but him. He had somehow invaded all her thoughts and giving up was not an option. Praying he'd understand she tried to find the right words to explain her rejection earlier. "I'm bad at dates; I know everyone gets nervous but I mean I really suck at them. I feel nauseous, my palms get sweaty, I stutter and one time I knocked red wine over this guys white shirt. I'm fine if I'm not that interested in the guy but the problem is I am interested in you."

Alex could not help but smile slightly but he was trying to disguise this and keep a straight face. She had just said that she liked him, she was getting flustered and it was strangely very sexy. "Iz" he began only to have her cut across him.

"No Alex I need to explain. Things seemed awkward between us this morning and I hate that because we get on so well normally. Going out to dinner would have been a disaster so I was thinking we could have some dinner here, just hangout or watch a movie and maybe try out some of that kissing again?" Izzie added hopefully.

No longer able to hide his smile Alex crossed the room to meet Izzie.

"That sounds much nicer that going out for dinner." He said as he joined her in the kitchen, enjoying how she instantly relaxed and smiled brightly once he had agreed to her plan.

"Oh dinners ready." Izzie announced as she grabbed an oven glove and pulled the lasagne and garlic bread out of the oven. "Could you open the wine?" she asked pointing to a bottle of red sitting nearby.

"2005 Merlot." Alex noted realising that a few people must have been involved in organising tonight's 'date'.

"Yeah apparently it's a really good year." Izzie replies.


	18. Chapter 18

_This is super short but it's been so long since I've updated I figured I'd post it anyway. Please review :)_

At dinner they had both agreed to take things slowly. Slowly was good. It made perfect sense to take things slowly. Despite the fact that they felt like they knew each other really well the truth was they had only met a few days before. Things had moved fast so they decided to take things slow. They were both happy with this plan, after all they essentially lived together and if things did not work out ok they would have to live and work with each other which was why taking it slowly was the right thing to do. So they made it their rule.

Rule one, take it slow.

The problem was they had only finished dinner half an hour ago and they were already breaking their own rule. As Alex nibbled on Izzie's earlobe sending waves of desire coursing through her body she managed to gasp out.

"Alex, what happened to slow?" She didn't wait for an answer however as her mouth attacked his unwilling to break the connection with him. Her tongue sought out his as his hands slid down her waist to her ass.

"Izzie." He finally replied after he reluctantly broke their kiss. "I'd be better at going slow if you were not straddling me." He said smiling wickedly. God he hoped she didn't stop, he knew at the beginning of the night taking it slow seemed like a good idea but now he wondered if he had been drunk when he had agreed.

"I don't think I know how to take things slowly." Izzie admitted her eyes dark with desire.

Leaning closer to her ear Alex replied "I don't think I ever want to know how to take things slowly." His warm breath on her neck made Izzie want him more.

"So taking it slowly was a bad idea?" She asked hopefully her eyes searching his.

"Yes, I blame that wine." He responded before cupping her face in his hands and pulling her closer for another kiss. He couldn't get enough of her.

Their night had turned out perfect considering how it began. She had gone to so much effort to make their little date perfect. It had made him feel quite guilty for the way he had run out earlier not giving her the chance to explain her other idea for the night. All the awkwardness since their first kiss had long since disappeared and the past few hours were spent swapping horror stories from work.

His thumb brushed her cheek as he once again broke their kiss, sliding her off his lap he took her hand and lead her upstairs.


	19. Chapter 19

_Sorry it's been so SO long since I updated this story. I probably wont get to update again until nearer Christmas but I'll try! _

_As always I dont own any Greys characters, stories etc  
_

Izzie always knew that waking up with a man who was not Denny was going to be weird. And it had been with the first guy she had slept with after Denny's death. It had been awkward, uncomfortable and instantly made her feel guilty. She knew Denny would want her to be happy; they had even broken up before he had gotten sick but it still felt like she had betrayed him. Denny had been her lover for so long and they had a great sex life. Denny understood the small things that got Izzie off. They had been great together in the beginning but in the end they had grown into better friends. Sex after Denny had been lacking, well up until last night.

Waking up in Alex Karev's arms was a different experience. It was comfortable. It felt right. It was difficult for her to keep a smug smile off her face as she lay their comfortably while he slept on. His arms wrapped around her waist and his stubble tickling her shoulder Izzie's smile grew as she remembered the night before. And what a night that was.

Alex began to stir and his hold on her tightened. Izzie smiled again as he gently kissed her shoulder and worked his way to up her cheek.

"Morning." He whispered.

"Morning" she replied as she turned in the bed to face him. He looked even better in the morning she thought.

"When do you have to get to the hospital?" he asked as he continued to place light kisses on her collar bone.

"I've got to leave in an hour." Izzie said smiling as her lips sought out his. "Plenty of time" she added suggestively.

Alex's left hand was sliding up Izzie's thigh when he heard Derek's voice in the hall.

"Mer, where's Alex? His cars outside but he's not in his room."

Izzie's eyes widened as she looked at Alex in horror. She quickly jumped out of the bed and pulled on her robe. She roughly grabbed the door open and stumbled into the hall.

"What's all the shouting about?" Izzie asked as Meredith also entered the hall from her bedroom.

"Have you seen Alex? His car is blocking mine." Derek asked her while Meredith smirked at Izzie's appearance, messy bed hair, a flushed face and her robe was on inside out. All these indications told Meredith exactly where Alex was.

"I um, I" Izzie began before Meredith interrupted.

"He went out for a run." Meredith explained as Izzie shot her a grateful look.

"Thought he preferred to go to the gym?" Derek asked.

"Only if it's raining." Meredith answered. "I'll move Alex's car."

"You ok?" Derek asked Izzie suspiciously.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be ok?" Izzie asked.

"Dunno, you seem kind of flustered." Derek said shrugging. "Need a lift to the hospital? I'm leaving in ten minutes."

"Yeah sure, I'll just get dressed." Izzie said as she shuffled back towards her door. Both Meredith and Derek went downstairs be not before Meredith sent her a look that told her they would be having a gossip later.

Alex was putting on his t shirt when Izzie returned.

"I hear I'm out jogging." He said smirking.

"Yeah apparently you are." Izzie said smiling at him.

"And you're leaving for work now?" Izzie nodded regretting agreeing to Derek's offer of a lift but knowing she would not have come up with a good excuse to stay and therefore making Derek suspicious.

"Thank you." Alex said as he took Izzie's hand and laced his fingers through hers.

"For what?" Izzie asked, unable to keep the confusion out of her voice.

"Protecting me from Derek. I don't think your brother would be too impressed with me sleeping with you, especially on our first date. And I think he could take me."

"Please, you're a wrestler; Derek is more of a dancer." Izzie laughed as she squeezed his hand. "I'm not worried about Derek, I'll tell him that we're dating later, I promise."

"So we're dating?" he asked cautiously.

"Well only if you want to?" Izzie added nervously.

"Oh I want to." Alex said as he leaned in for another kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

_Its been ages since I've updated and I actually didnt think I'd ever get back to this but with the lack of Alex and Izzie on screen I decided it was time to update. Hope people are still interested, let me know what you think??_

Alex was looking over his patients chart when he noticed Izzie at the other side of the nurses' station. She was talking to a nurse and her forehead was creased in concentration. She looked amazing he thought as his eyes glanced over her body. She wore a dark grey pencil skirt with a crisp white shirt. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a style on her head. The more he looked the more he wanted to find an empty on call room and repeat what they had done just that morning. At that moment Izzie looked up and flashed him a coy smile. He smiled back and then pretended to glance back down at his chart. It wasn't long before his eyes wandered back to the blonde doctor across the room.

"Stop it." Cristina snapped from beside him.

"Stop what?" Alex asked innocently.

"You know very well what I'm talking about. Stop looking at Barbie and do some work." Cristina replied in a disgusted tone. "You know I've lost all respect for Derek I thought he was a smart guy. I can't believe he doesn't realise you've been screwing his sister for the past week."

"And what a week it's been." Alex replied with a dirty smile.

"Ugh, shut up." Cristina said nudging him in the ribs. "You know what this meeting is about?"

"No idea." Alex said noticing a few more doctors had arrived. His eyes darted back to Izzie who was now talking to Meredith. "What you think it is about?" Alex quizzed Cristina.

"I dunno but I don't like it. It better not be a merger. Last week Westbrooke and St Mary's merged in California and the week before that there were more mergers in Ohio and Florida."

Alex shrugged. "It wouldn't be the end of the world."

"It would be if your job was cut." Cristina exclaimed.

* * *

"So are you nervous?" Meredith asked Izzie cautiously.

"No excited, I'm so happy for Bailey." Izzie replied smiling at her new friend. Meredith had been nothing short of amazing since her arrival in Seattle and they had soon become really good friends. Like Meredith promised she had accompanied Izzie to the bank to lodge the cheque that Denny had left her. They both had the morning off so they began by doing a bit of shopping followed by the dreaded trip to the bank and then an expensive lunch with massive desserts to cheer Izzie up. Meredith had gone out of her way to take Izzie's mind off Denny and it had worked. Meredith had also turned into Izzie's closest confidant and grilled Izzie often about how things were going with her and Alex. Things had been going really well with her and Alex. It had been over a week since Izzie had made him dinner and since then they had spent hours hanging out, getting to know each other and there had been plenty of sex. Izzie smiled to herself and stole a quick glance across the room at Alex.

"Awh, you can't keep your eyes off him." Meredith gushed beside Izzie.

"I can Mer, I just don't want too." Izzie replied smugly.

"What the hell does the Chief want now?" Mark asked as he arrived dressed in scrubs. "I have surgery in fifteen minutes."

"It won't take that long." Izzie replied as she noticed Derek arrive behind Mark.

"You know what's going on?" Mark asked.

"Of course Mark. I know everything." Izzie said while Derek and Mark looked at her to continue.

"Well? Come on Iz, tell us." Derek piped up.

"Nope, look here's the Chief; I'll let him look after it." Izzie said as everyone's attention turned to the Chief who was coming down the stairs with Bailey. Izzie quickly glanced over at Alex who gave her a quick wink.

"Right everyone this won't take long. As you all know Bailey had been campaigning for years to get Seattle Grace to open a free clinic and finally we have received the funding to do this." The Chief announce happily as a mutter of approval was heard from the crowd of doctors.

"Great this will mean they expect us to donate free time to this thing, you won't see me near the place." Mark scoffed quietly.

"The clinic will be a great asset to the hospital and it is going to be named in memory of a great doctor and a great friend of mine who died recently. So in two months time the doors of the Dennison Duquette Memorial Clinic will open and I expect to see every single one of you helping out and I especially want to thank Dr. Stevens whose kind donation is the reason this is all happening." The Chief announce smiling at Izzie who smiled back at him while Derek and Mark looked at her in shock. "Right everyone back to work."

As the crowd dispersed Izzie turned nervously to Mark and Derek. "What do you think?"

"It's a really great way to remember him." Derek said pulling his sister into a warm hug.

"Yeah Iz, why didn't you tell us?" Mark asked.

"I just wanted to make sure it was happening first." Izzie said quietly suddenly feeling quiet emotional.

"He'd be so happy with this." Derek confirmed rubbing Izzie's back gently.

"So did you know about this?" Cristina asked Alex as they went back to work.

"Nope, it's not really my business is it?" Alex replied.

"No I guess not. Looks like she's bringing the ghost of her ex into work with her now." Cristina said nodding over to where Mark, Izzie and Derek were huddled talking she continued. "Face it Alex you cannot compete with that."


End file.
